The seed sector has faced many difficulties

“There can be no food security without domestic seeds. The seed industry is at the forefront of innovation, research and development, variety selection, irrigation and technology. All of these provide not only seeds but also knowledge for agriculture as a whole. The seed sector accounts for 9 percent of our agricultural output, with an area of ​​barely more than 100 thousand hectares. It is still at the forefront in global terms, but we must do something to strengthen our seed sector again. The big task for us in the future is to protect markets, seek new markets, maintain subsidies, mitigate the effects of climate change, and provide genetics that meet market needs. We need good varieties to be successful and competitive.” – emphasized Zsolt György Papp, President of the National Chamber of Agriculture, in his welcoming speech.

As Zsolt György Papp explained: Hungary’s water balance has been disrupted due to climate change: for example, the water yield of the Tisza has decreased by 30 percent, and the top layer of the soil is missing 90 millimeters of precipitation. Today, successful production without irrigation is a very difficult task, which is why initiatives have been launched recently to create the conditions for irrigation by filling canals, tenders, and various programs. In addition, a new support program will soon be launched, in which the actors of the seed sector can receive greater support.

The Seed Association Interprofessional Organization and Product Council, established in 1993, which brings together various actors in the seed industry, is in contact with ministries, authorities, and international professional organizations, and regularly formulates proposals on various sectoral issues. The association cooperates closely with the National Chamber of Agriculture and the National Association of Grain Growers. The results of the post-registration variety trials of corn, winter wheat and winter rapeseed, organized jointly with the latter two organizations, have long been an important source of information for farmers, explained Géza Takács, President of the Interprofessional Organization and Product Council of the Seed Association.

In the past year, seeds of more than 100 different species, nearly 1,500 varieties, were propagated and certified in the sector on approximately 107 thousand hectares. The largest area, 24 thousand hectares, was the propagation of winter wheat, followed by corn on 15 thousand hectares. The value of seeds sold domestically and abroad amounts to approximately 200 billion forints.

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has dealt a major blow to the sector’s success, as a result of which exports to the two important target countries have decreased by an extremely large amount of corn seed, sufficient for approximately 1.5 million hectares, since 2022 due to tightening administration, embargo measures, official controls, difficulties in border transport and a drastic increase in transportation costs.
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