Magazine: NAK says sensible subsidy policy is needed

The Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) asks for a sensible and efficient subsidy policy from the government in the 2015-2020 period. NAK developed several subsidy cut schemes for the government. These would apply a degressivity to SAPS payments above a certain sum.

Fazekas Sándor
földművelésügyi miniszter

NAK’s schemes take into consideration the following factors: 1. employment and related social security and other contributions to be paid; 2. in line with agricultural policy objectives, promoting livestock farming and gardening because these segments create higher added value and employ more people. NAK reckons that the proportion of processed products needs to be increased, for which the chamber would create a differentiated subsidy system to support food processing companies. As for the ministry, Dr Sándor Fazekas retained his position in the new system as Minister of Agriculture. The ministry is planned to take its headquarters to Debrecen by 15 March 2016 but there will be no major changes in its portfolio: food safety, environmental affairs, agriculture, land management, agricultural diplomacy and agriculture-related European Union affairs will belong here. At the hearing before the parliament’s agriculture committee minister-designate Mr Fazekas told that agriculture would remain the economy’s driving force – just like it has been in the last few years when the sector’s performance improved by 30 percent. He also talked about the positive influence of Hungary’s Eastern Opening policy on agriculture and the importance of keeping Hungary GMO-free. The minister-designate touched upon the modernisation of livestock farming infrastructure, the development of seed production, improving fruit and vegetable growing conditions, farm development, the fostering of organic farming, bettering pig farming conditions and increasing the size of the pig stock.