Sweet corn overview

According to the overview of the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) and the Hungarian Vegetable and Fruit Interprofessional Organization (FruitVeB), the weather in the northern part of the country has been particularly good this year in terms of the development of these plants. The persistent heat waves have only affected the region to a lesser extent, and the nights are also cool, so above-average harvests are expected in irrigated areas – where the harvest has already begun. Unfortunately, the situation is not so bright in the southern part of the country. Although the crop is grown under irrigated conditions in a significant part of the growing area, the atmospheric drought and persistent heat cannot be compensated for in this way. Thus, farmers in the southern counties of the country can expect a weaker harvest. According to expectations, last year’s harvest is likely on average nationwide.

The season has already begun, and the price of sweet corn intended for the fresh market is typically still high at the beginning of the season, but prices will also decrease from mid-August

The product intended for the fresh market is primarily produced by small producers, typically on 0.5-1 hectare areas. In order to be able to appear on the market with sweet corn as soon as possible, in some places it is also grown under foil. Thanks to this, the first shipments can appear in stores at the end of May or beginning of June. This is followed by transplanted corn, which is now being dealt with on more and more farms. Thanks to the application of different cultivation methods and scheduled sowing, producers can supply the domestic market with fresh sweet corn from the end of May to the beginning of October. The sweet corn available in Hungary comes almost exclusively from domestic production, the proportion of imports is negligible. In addition to the so-called “chsuhés” corn, the vegetable is now also available frozen and cleaned, in foil packaging, from some retailers. Consumer demand is significant, but it is not unimportant where we obtain the sweet vegetable, since traders are also present in this area. If possible, we should buy directly from the producer or from reliable retailers, in supermarkets.

Sweet corn is grown on about 24 thousand hectares in our country

Hungary’s climatic and soil conditions are favorable, which, together with the high level of production technology and the technical and technological level of the processing industry, guarantees good yields and excellent quality. A significant part of the sweet corn produced in Hungary is processed by the canning industry. The season has already begun for processors, and it seems that the Chinese import pressure experienced in recent years is easing, after the European Union imposed retroactive tariffs on canned sweet corn from China. The taste of sweet corn is primarily determined by its sugar content, which is highest in its tender, so-called milky-ripening state. Accordingly, following market trends, super-sweet varieties have gradually spread over the past decade, and are now also decisive in Hungarian production.

NAK/FruitVeB