Is the real breakthrough in domestic organic farming coming?

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 10. 28. 10:52

A call for tenders entitled Support for Organic Farming (ÖKO) was recently published, which provides area-based support for the next five years to those who bring their traditional areas under organic cultivation, as well as to those who maintain this practice in their already organically farmed areas. According to the expert, thanks to persistent interest representation activities, the conditions became more favorable at several points by the end of the social consultation phase, so the program can not only help existing organic farmers, but also convert new producers to sustainable activities. And this will be necessary to achieve the ambitious government and EU goals.

The ECO program, which provides a total of HUF 64 billion in non-reimbursable funds, offers support opportunities to current and future organic farmers from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029. Applications can be submitted between November 25 and December 23, 2024. According to the final call, intensive fruit plantations undergoing transition will receive the most significant subsidy of 1,801 euros per hectare per year (converted to about 730,000 forints), but in all categories the sums are hundreds of euros.

This is not the first program encouraging environmentally friendly farming for Hungarian farmers, but the new option seems to be the most advantageous from several points of view.

“For example, an important aspect when choosing between the AKG and the ÖKO program is that the amounts of the latter support are available without additional commitments beyond the ecological regulations. Another big advantage of the ÖKO program is that well-kept plantations older than 26 years and mixed orchards are also supported”

– said dr. Péter Roszík is a titular university associate professor, executive director of the certification organization Biokontroll Hungária Nonprofit Kft. The specialist added that participants in the Basic Agro-ecology Program (AÖP) can also apply for the ECO grant aimed at transitioning to organic farming or maintaining it.