The cherry is ripe, the Agricultural Marketing Center has launched the promotion of seasonal fruits

(Photo: AM/István Fekete)

Not only is mid-July the most intense period of the summer festival season, but seasonal fruits and vegetables are also available in large quantities from then on.  That is why the Agrarian Marketing Center, the Agrarian Ministry and Magyar Termék Nonprofit Kft. chose the EFOTT Festival as the venue for the start of the summer season campaign.

At the announcing press conference, it was also announced that festival-goers can taste and consume cherries for four days during the event

Zsolt Feldman, the State Secretary responsible for agriculture and rural development of the Ministry of Agriculture, said at the press conference: due to last year’s extreme drought and this year’s cold spring weather, the domestic cherry crop – although its quality is impeccable – is almost 20% lower than a year earlier. “Cherries are not only a valuable fruit when eaten fresh, but also an important raw material for the processing industry. Hungary is one of the most important cherry-growing countries in Europe, along with Poland, Serbia and Germany, the combined production volume of the four countries reaches 300,000 to 400,000 tons annually. Frozen cherries, juice and concentrate, and cherry preserves are among the processed finished products produced in the largest quantities on the continent. Cherries are one of our most important raw materials for the canning industry, and after the harvest period that began at the end of June, processing also began. From the point of view of Hungarian cherries, the market for canned cherries is of greatest importance, as 60-70% of cherries are used in the domestic and foreign canning industry,” he added.

The Agricultural Marketing Center has been organizing consumption promotion campaigns to promote seasonal fruits for many years

Péter Ondré, the managing director of the Company, reminded us that by buying domestic fruits, we not only support local farmers, but we can also eat much fresher, richer vitamin-rich food. “Hungarian agriculture is capable of self-sufficiency, and the quality of domestic vegetables and fruits is excellent. Cherry is also a real health-protecting vitamin bomb, as it contains large amounts of vitamin C, calcium, and iron. It helps digestion, the absorption of vitamins, has a diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect. The primary goal of our campaign is to draw attention to the diversity of domestic vegetables and fruits, as well as to the fact that by purchasing them you can get much fresher and more vitamin-rich food.” Benedek Eszter, managing director of Magyar Termék Nonprofit Kft., emphasized that with conscious shopping, we can not only buy healthier, but also more reliable food. “Hungarian Product is now more than a trademark. It is a compass for the consumer, helps them make a conscious decision, and is a well-known and recognized mark that reliably highlights domestic products from the market. And it is a tangible advantage for manufacturers: its use instills confidence in the customer, and the consumer is willing to pay a higher price for it. We want the Domestic Product to be not only a choice, but a decision.” In the following days, until the end of the festival, visitors can taste the delicious fruit every day, and the cherry, considered one of the healthiest fruits, is already available in large quantities in shops and markets. The Agrármarketing Centrum continues its product line campaigns by promoting melons in August and apples in September.

Why are cherries healthy?

• Very good for the heart. Cherries contain one of the strongest antioxidants that exist in nature, called quercetin.
• Helps to regenerate faster. The substances found in the fruit are able to prevent muscle pain and help in recovery from injuries. Several studies have confirmed that sour cherry juice can help relieve muscle soreness after exercise and accelerates regeneration.
• Helps against insomnia. The fruit is a natural source of the hormone melatonin, which positively affects sleep cycles.
• Its anti-gout effect is due to potassium: urinary stone deposits are reduced.
• It is also useful against vascular diseases, it re-opens the capillary vessels with its alkalizing effect.

AMC