Successful end of the year, exciting start of the year at NAK

Balázs Győrffy, president of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) analysed 2017 and spoke about the objectives for 2018 to our magazine. From a farmer’s perspective, one of the chamber’s most valuable services is managing the affairs related to single applications. Thanks to the well-organised work, the chamber’s staff submitted more than 120,000 applications – this is three quarters of the total number of applications. In 2017 the state treasury transferred HUF 254 billion to those who were eligible for funding; this sum was HUF 122 billion in 2015 and HUF 194 billion in 2016.

Balázs Győrffy
president
NAK

In order the create an environment where farmers have better conditions, in 2017 NAK gave a preliminary opinion on more than 100 draft legislations and also proposed the creation of new laws. Mr Győrffy told our magazine that from 2018 NAK’s professional opinion will be shaped by the chamber departments: following the principles that they outline, the team of professionals behind the departments will work out and send the detailed proposals to the decision-makers.

Within the framework of the Rural Development Programme and the Economic Development and Innovation Operative Programme (GINOP) there is a HUF 300-billion budget available for financing food-processing micro- and small businesses, and medium-sized food companies. NAK participated in establishing favourable application conditions for the companies. Mr Győrffy told that in the present funding scheme about three quarters of Hungarian farmers would make loss without EU money.

NAK’s goal is to make farmers competitive even if they receive less EU funding, irrespective of their size or the sector they operate in. The president added that more investment will be needed – especially in the processing segment – in the future, so that produce grown in Hungary isn’t taken abroad for manufacturing food products with a high added value. NAK keeps lobbying for further VAT cuts and the chamber hopes that more food products will have a 5-percent VAT from 2019. //