Grain growers are confident in a good harvest

(Photo: Pixabay)

Tamás Petőházi emphasized that Hungarian farmers are doing everything for excellent quality and hope that they will not have to face a significant lack of rainfall this year. At the same time, the amount of the crop cannot be estimated yet, since the historic drought did not hit the country during this period last year, but in the summer months. The world market price of grain has been rising for months due to strong Chinese demand, although the European price level is lagging behind, he added.

The head of the association welcomed the ban on grain imports from Ukraine

Shipments from neighboring countries have overshadowed the domestic harvest on the grain market in recent months. Although the effects of the measure cannot yet be assessed, it may help ensure that the Hungarian grain stuck in warehouses finds a buyer until the harvest, so this year’s crop can be safely stored. He also announced that the interest representation of grain growers would support an early, long-term settlement of the import issue not only for Ukraine, but for any non-EU state. In his opinion, the reassuring solution is not only in the interests of farmers, as the citizens of the member states must also be protected from food that does not meet EU standards. Brussels has already started to phase out plant protection agents and risky active ingredients deemed dangerous to human and animal health a decade and a half ago, but grain outside the EU does not have such safety guarantees. Consumers are right to ask what standards the food available in stores meets, and under what conditions their raw materials were produced – said Tamás Petőházi.

MTI