We are further strengthening our agricultural relations with France

By: STA Date: 2025. 01. 28. 10:30

France is an important ally of our country in order to strengthen the Common Agricultural Policy and preserve its resources – said István Nagy, Minister of Agriculture, who received Jonathan Lacôte, Ambassador of the Republic of France to Budapest, in his office.

(Photo: AM/István Fekete)

The Minister highlighted at the meeting that France is a key partner of Hungary in terms of European agriculture, as is well illustrated by the Council conclusions on the future of European agriculture adopted during the Hungarian EU Presidency. The Common Agricultural Policy still needs a separate budget and two pillars – he added. The Minister said that Hungary believes that all food entering the European Union must have the same quality and traceability parameters as that produced here. As a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the influx of Ukrainian agricultural products into the Union has caused serious challenges, as they have driven down prices and narrowed our markets. We cannot endanger the competitiveness and livelihood of farmers, which is why Hungary has introduced an import ban, but transit is permitted and strictly monitored. Our country will protect the interests of farmers by all means, he underlined.

István Nagy also drew attention to the renewal of the Hungarian agriculture and food industry

The Hungarian government has made a historic decision to increase the level of EU co-financing to 80%, so we will spend 2,900 billion forints on the modernization of agriculture by 2027. This amount, of which 600 billion forints are EU funds and 2,300 billion forints are national funds, is three times the amount so far, and we will use it to comprehensively modernize the sector, the Minister added.