Stricter rules needed to protect European rice production

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At the event, the Minister spoke about how rice is one of the most important foods worldwide, the basis of the daily diet of billions of people. Rice production in Hungary has a history of several hundred years, the cultivated area reached its maximum in the mid-20th century, and in recent years the domestic rice sowing area has increased to between 2,300 and 3,000 hectares. Nothing reflects the traditions and quality of rice produced in Nagykunság, one of the country’s main rice-growing regions, better than the fact that “Nagykun Rizs” was awarded the European Union’s “Protected Geographical Indication” title in 2021. The organic rice produced there, with an extremely low heavy metal content, even reaches the Chinese market, he added. The minister said that in order to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of European rice production and processing, our country considers it necessary to revise the Common Customs Tariff and incorporate the automatic safeguard mechanism into the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). In addition, great emphasis should be placed on enforcing the principle of environmental and social reciprocity, streamlining the regulation of plant protection products, and mandatory origin marking. He explained that the challenges ahead are clear, while the world rice trade is constantly expanding, we must protect sustainable European production, ensure fair competition, and keep supply chains in balance. In the course of this joint work, we will not only protect producers and processors, but also contribute to ensuring that reliable quality products are available to consumers, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture underlined.

AM