Imre Hubai: buying domestic products is important from both a national economic and national security perspective

Imre Hubai reported at the handover of the farmers’ market in the city of Baranya that the Ministry of Agriculture set the goal in 2010 to promote healthy nutrition for the population, strengthen local identity, and also prioritize the sale of local products and short supply chains.

The civilian government took steps to stimulate local economies in 2012 by introducing the concept of farmers’ markets and supporting the development of these markets. Already that year, 117 farmers’ markets were established, and today there are about 320 operating, he said. He added that the number of registered small producers has also increased in direct proportion to the increase in the number of markets: while there were about 5 thousand in 2010, in 2024 there were already 23 thousand.

The State Secretary reminded that the ministry had also announced two calls for applications in the Rural Development Program, which, among other things, served the infrastructural and equipment development of markets serving local product sales, as well as the development of public catering. He highlighted that 525 of the applications received a total of about 26 billion forints in support.

Purchasing domestic products contributes to preserving domestic jobs and self-sufficiency, local producers can receive their work compensation more quickly, the use of local raw materials effectively supports the development of the local economy, and high-quality, healthy and fresh domestic food is put on the tables of as many Hungarian families as possible – he emphasized.

Hubai Imre said about the Villány farmers’ market that the 108 million forint investment received 86 million forints in tender support, as part of the implementation, landscaping, development of green areas, construction of public utilities, paving of the space, and the purchase of equipment necessary for operating the market were also carried out, thanks to which the handicraft products and foodstuffs of local and regional primary producers are available to an even wider audience.

The handover of the producer market will take place on the closing day of the red wine festival, referring to which the state secretary reported that the harvest is underway, the white grape varieties have been largely harvested, and according to the data so far, the average yield per hectare exceeds 10 tons.

He mentioned that the golden yellow disease of vineyards has also appeared in Villány. He said that a national campaign consisting of seven elements has been launched to curb the infection, and the National Food Chain Safety Office (Nébih) will receive 2.5 billion forints and the National Council of Mountain Villages 1.3 billion forints for its implementation.

Imre Hubai also spoke about the government supporting the work of winemakers with many other means. Among these, he mentioned support methods related to the purchase of machines that help perform manual labor-intensive operations, as well as innovation investment support, which can open up opportunities for the introduction of new technologies and procedures serving to reach new markets and consumers.

István Mayer, independent mayor of Villány, said that farmers’ markets contribute to sustainability and facilitate access to products that serve a healthier lifestyle.

László Őri (Fidesz-KDNP), chairman of the general assembly of the Baranya County Government, emphasized that every settlement or community that wanted to establish a local farmers’ market in recent years or the past decade had the opportunity to do so. He added that more than a dozen such markets in Baranya have already been renewed or opened with the support of the government.

János Hargitai (KDNP), a member of parliament, spoke about how Villány has developed spectacularly in recent years: “almost everything between Diófás Square and Rendezvény Square has been renovated,” and the repair of additional streets is also in progress.

The ministerial commissioner responsible for the tasks related to the worthy commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács noted that the commemorative year has brought development opportunities to the region: from Tuesday morning, the M6 ​​motorway can be used in the direction of Osijek, the Mohács Danube Bridge and the related road network are being built, and the Nagyharsány sculpture park is being renovated.

Regarding the plans for the next parliamentary term, the politician said that Villány will be “connected” to the motorway network from the Lippó junction via Márok, and the surroundings of the Villány church may also be renovated.

Tags: agrárminisztérium, hazai termékek vásárlása, Hubai Imre