Newer plant protection products are available for small-scale cultivation

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Small-scale crops play an important role in strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of Hungarian agriculture, but the range of available plant protection solutions is much narrower. The work of the working group is therefore of paramount importance: it forms a bridge between producers, authorities and manufacturers, and creates a common professional basis that will help Hungarian farmers to continue to produce safely, sustainably and under competitive conditions in the future. The National Small-Scale Crop Working Group of the National Chamber of Agriculture also worked actively in 2025 to ensure that the appropriate plant protection tools are also available for crops grown in smaller areas but with high economic and export value. The working group held its annual meeting in Dunaharaszti in October, where representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Food Chain Safety Office, professional organizations, manufacturers and distributors work together on the continuous development of small-scale cultivation licensing.

The working group is constantly working to replace the current emergency permits with basic permits in as many cases as possible

For this, detailed risk assessments, the collection of test data and direct cooperation with manufacturers are essential. This year, a total of 8 new products, 294 small-scale cultivation extensions and 29 document amendments were implemented by the end of September, which affected a total of 199 other crops. The small-scale cultivation working group works effectively year after year, which clearly shows that joint professional work, producer feedback and the support of the authority bring tangible results in practice. Progress is also expected at EU level: a new small-scale database will be created, which will make it transparent which Member States have test data and where there are opportunities for data sharing or joint authorisation. The European consultation planned for the end of 2025 is expected to open new directions in simplifying the authorisation processes for biocontrol active substances and products, and may contribute to the development of a uniform classification of “simple substances” and biological plant protection products. In the coming period, the working group will also strive to strengthen cooperation between manufacturers, applicants and authorities to make the small-scale authorisation process even more efficient. A key goal is to increase the proportion of biological solutions. The working group continues to await suggestions from producers, distributors and professional organisations on which preparations, active substances or solutions would be in demand for small-scale authorisations, so that these needs can be incorporated into the priority lists and authorisation processes in a timely manner.

NAK