Several horticultural crops have been exempted from the EKÁER notification obligation

(Photo: AI)

In field vegetable production, especially in the case of sweet corn, green peas and green beans intended for processing purposes, producers and processing plants have been struggling with great difficulties in recent years. In addition to the hectic weather, market factors also regularly pose serious challenges to the players in the sector. These field vegetable crops represent the most important raw materials for the domestic food industry, especially the refrigeration and canning industry. The production area of ​​these sectors has typically decreased in recent years, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to produce the raw materials needed for the finished product volume demanded by the market. It is in the fundamental interest of the processing industry and the entire product chain that the number of farmers and the area they cultivate do not decrease further. One very important element of increasing the competitiveness of the sector is the reduction of administrative burdens.

The harvest of the open-field vegetables in question takes place continuously during the ripening period, 0-24 hours a day, every day of the week, including holidays, according to the processing plants’ schedule

According to the current legislation, the producer or the TÉSZ/TCS integrating him is obliged to apply for an EKÁER number, where adequately prepared administrative staff must be available 24 hours a day every day from the start of the green pea harvest (approximately May 20) to the harvest of the second-crop sweet corn (approximately October 20). Every EKÁER number has tax implications, it must be verifiable even after five years, and it must contain the same data as reality. The 24-hour availability of administrative staff is an additional cost that does not create any benefit or value. The National Chamber of Agriculture, together with the FruitVeB Vegetable and Fruit Interprofessional Organization, initiated the abolition of the EKÁER notification obligation for the products in question in 2022. Although the government rejected the first proposal, persistent work was successful this year, thanks to the order amendment published in the Hungarian Gazette, green peas, green beans and sweet corn were removed from the range of risky products, so the EKÁER notification obligation no longer applies to these product groups.

Moreover, ensuring the EKÁER exemption does not mean any tax loss for the state

The production and production of these products takes place exclusively according to previously concluded product sales contracts. It cannot happen that a producer sells to the “free market” without a contract, as every processor concludes preliminary contracts for its entire capacity (typically at the beginning of the given year) in order to ensure the safe supply of raw materials. The production, sale and road transport of sweet corn, green peas and green beans for processing purposes must not be subject to abuse, due to its special, strictly regulated and controlled process from several sides. Furthermore, neither party has the opportunity nor the interest to sell or buy without accounting documents.
NAK