Road toll hike: agricultural sector backs truckers’ protest, food price increases expected

MOSZ president Máté Koncz said the organisation fully supports the protesting truck drivers, stressing that the Ministry of Construction and Transport failed to consult agricultural stakeholders ahead of the decision. “If road transport becomes significantly more expensive, everything that needs to be transported will cost more – including food,” he warned.

The association highlighted that the toll increase would hit agriculture particularly hard, as the majority of freight traffic on secondary roads consists of grain, livestock and milk. Koncz pointed out that Hungarian crop production has been loss-making for the third consecutive year, while most livestock sectors are also operating at a loss, meaning any additional cost burden further weakens the sector’s competitiveness.

MOSZ also criticised what it sees as a policy contradiction: while the government has introduced several measures in recent years to curb food inflation, higher transport costs would push prices in the opposite direction. Representatives of the organisation held talks with the relevant ministry on Monday, but reported no meaningful progress.

The truck drivers’ demonstration, involving more than a thousand vehicles, is set to continue in Budapest until Monday evening. Industry groups warn that the impact of higher tolls would extend beyond transport companies, affecting the entire food supply chain from primary production to retail shelves.