The protection of producers will be renewed, and farmers will receive more serious help

(Photo: AM/Tibor Vermes)

Zsolt Feldman explained that the package of producer protection laws improves the vulnerable position of producers vis-à-vis buyers by developing existing market regulation tools and creating new regulatory elements and provides them with stronger protection through legal means, as well as creates a new legal basis for the relationship between producers and producers. Most of the new rules will enter into force on January 1, 2025 in order to ensure the necessary preparation time, he added.

The state secretary explained that according to one element of the measure, the consideration for the producers’ goods will have to be paid within 30 days

In case of delay, the buyer may be fined. He pointed out the importance of a correctly issued invoice, which must be handed over to the processor, buyer or distributor within 15 days after receiving the product. If the correctly issued invoice is made available more than fifteen days after receipt, the consideration for the product must be settled within fifteen days from the receipt of the correctly issued invoice. The regulations affect vegetable, fruit and grain producers, as well as livestock keepers, who should browse through the details, suggested Zsolt Feldman. Also speaking to the stakeholders, he highlighted that the new Agricultural Environmental Management support program will start from 2025, the professional preparation of which has begun. The Ministry of Agriculture expects that the 1.7 million hectares of land included in the program and the 20,000 producers will continue to participate. He also mentioned that until the end of August, the producers reported drought damage to a little more than 300,000 hectares of land nationwide. 80 percent of the area reported as drought-damaged is occupied by corn and sunflower crops. The Ministry of Agriculture regards the support of good agricultural practices that promote adaptation to climate change as a priority.

AM