István Nagy: agricultural subsidies are also guaranteed in 2024

(Photo: AM/István Fekete)

István Nagy mentioned the Brussels sanctions and the dumping of Ukrainian products released to the EU as significant challenges, but he believes that Hungarian agriculture can rely on the results of the past years to trust in the future. Agricultural subsidies reached a peak in 2023, the amount of successful applications exceeded HUF 1,300 billion, and with the additional funding of the government, the basic subsidies will be preserved to an outstanding extent, even in comparison with the EU, the minister said. He added: Hungary wants to maintain the import ban in 2024 as well, and counts on the support of other member states in this. Ukraine’s EU membership would also cause great damage to European producers, as they cannot compete with the hundreds of thousands of hectares of Ukrainian farms owned by big capital. The head of the department called securing the financing background with interest-subsidized credit schemes and the payment of subsidies to farmers an important task. While producers in other states of Europe face restrictions, domestic tenders provide both small and large farms with the opportunity to improve efficiency, the tender system is transparent and predictable. Until 2027, HUF 1,500 billion will go to economic development and HUF 1,000 billion to create the conditions for a green future from these tenders.

The 2024 tender schedule will start in the next few days, the forest management calls will appear first

In the spring, the first package of tenders for agricultural and food industry investments, as well as tenders to help change land use, in the summer, tenders to encourage the change of generation of producers, and in the fall, rural development schemes. The year will end with a tender package supporting the precision economy and technological developments, he explained. The minister added that Hungary is also preparing for the EU presidency with a firm vision. The available time must be used together with other member states to review the crisis management measures, taking into account the market and climatic conditions, and the continent’s food safety. Due to the rapid changes, it is necessary to encourage agricultural and food industry research that helps adaptation, and at the same time attention must also be paid to reducing food waste. István Nagy believes that one of the most important tasks in the current situation in traditional plant cultivation is improving efficiency, joint procurement of raw materials and rational use. In his opinion, the cultivation of special varieties, the transformation of the production structure, or organic farming can be a good solution for many, since it is possible to join this support program next year. He added that under the Hungarian EU presidency, the foundation of the next EU agricultural support cycle starting in 2028 can also be started.

The president of the Association of Hungarian Farmers’ Cooperatives and Farmers’ Unions (Magosz) called it unacceptable that the EU wants to shift the burden of the war in Ukraine onto the farmers

According to István Jakab, food safety is at risk if farmers are destroyed, and Magosz therefore expects Copa-Cogeca, the Brussels-based apex organization of European farmers’ and cooperatives’ interest representatives, to end its silence and stand up for the protesting German farmers. The current situation shows how a government can wreak havoc if it wants to implement an agricultural policy without a strategy. At the EP elections, politicians who represent the interests of the people and not serve foreign interests should be sent to Brussels, he said. The vice-president of the National Chamber of Agrarian Economy (NAK) announced that more village farmers will support the submission of uniform applications this year than last year, in order to reduce the administrative burden on producers. Katalin Süle added that they also help in making use of tender opportunities, as this year’s approximately 70 agricultural and rural development tenders can help increase added value, develop food production, and meet green expectations. He also urged a solution to the issue of wildlife damage, because in his opinion, the farmers have a legitimate claim to compensation. In Hungary, the number of big game has increased several times over the past decades, the stock is currently maintained by agriculture and forestry, he said.

The vice-president of NAK also addressed the EP election, stressing that the future of agriculture also depends on the final result of the vote

The events in Germany are a good example of the fact that “the EU’s agricultural policy is a dead end”, the farmers there have had enough of the “dark green measures” that make production impossible, the anti-farmer sentiment, and the liberal-green-social-democratic German government, which paid the price of the faulty economic policy and sent Ukraine he wants to make subsidies paid by the producers – he said. Zsolt Nyitrai, chief adviser to the Prime Minister, also believes that 2024 will be a decisive year in the life of Hungarian farmers. He emphasized that the government always stands up for the interests of those working in agriculture, and takes into account the opinions of the entire society as well as the farmers during its decisions. In the EP elections in June, a clear message must be sent to Brussels that the money owed to farmers cannot be used for anything else. Change is needed in the EU, and producers can count on the government to represent their interests in Brussels, he added.

MTI