István Nagy: change is also needed in Brussels for the sake of farmers

(Photo: AM/Csaba Pelsőczy)

István Nagy emphasized that the Hungarian agricultural policy is interested in modern and competitive production, therefore it encourages the growth of sectors that produce higher value, supports farmers’ investments, and provides them with the resources necessary for their activities. Hungarian agriculture has come a long way since 2010, its productivity has improved significantly even in European comparisons, the countryside is on the path to growth, one of the strictest land laws in Europe has been established, and historically large resources have been opened up to producers. 2024 is the year of subsidies, the government provides all farmers with the opportunity to develop – he said. At the same time, he added that challenges should be expected in the future, for example, in the leadership of the EU, extreme green ideologies hindering competitiveness have recently gained ground, which, according to István Nagy, are also against the interests of consumers. EU food security is also threatened by the import of agricultural products from Ukraine, and Brussels is not doing anything about it despite the fact that European farmers are willing to endure unreasonable administrative burdens and green regulations, he said. Until the internal market disturbances are resolved, Hungary will maintain the import ban, he said. According to the head of the ministry, effective and credible interest representation is especially important now, as farmers across Europe are protesting that Brussels has deceived them. Hungarian producers can be represented in the European Parliament by the president of the National Chamber of Agrarian Economy (NAK) from June, as Balázs Győrffy has a place on the Fidesz-KDNP list, István Nagy announced, stressing that the Hungarian farming community can count on the head of the organization as a reliable partner in Brussels as well. Europe can only be successful if it returns to the cooperation of nation states based on mutual respect, but this requires new representatives in Brussels, said the Minister of Agriculture.

According to the NAK president, voters will be faced with a simple decision in June

They will vote on whether politicians who hinder or support agriculture should go to Brussels. Balázs Győrffy promises that, even as an EP representative, he will help the farming community in everything, and he is sure that solutions to the challenges facing producers can be found in cooperation with the government. In his opinion, the EU’s agricultural policy is a “dead end, a misguided experiment” that should not have been started. Brussels already treats Ukraine almost as an EU member state, but does not hold the Kiev leadership accountable for any obligations, plant protection or animal welfare regulations. According to Balázs Győrffy, regarding the green agreement, it was obvious from the beginning that it would adversely affect the EU’s food supply, make the work of plant growers impossible, and unnecessarily punish animal breeders. In Hungary, the network of village farmers had to be expanded because the administrative burden of producers was significantly increased by the new EU rules. Europe needs more competitive production, and representatives should be sent to Brussels who take on the interests of farmers instead of “dark green ideologies”, stressed Balázs Győrffy. The president of the Association of Hungarian Farmers’ Cooperatives and Farmers’ Associations (Magosz) welcomed the fact that a specialist who knows the work of farmers well from his own experience is coming to Brussels. According to István Jakab, the NAK president is also suitable for representing producers at the EU level because he also has experience in legislation and can create relationships at the European level. “Unfortunately, Europe is dominated by a warlike atmosphere, and in this situation, the representative of Hungarian farmers must firmly stand up for the interests of producers, in cooperation with all European agricultural representatives and professional organizations,” he added.

MTI