We have something to lose and protect

(Photo: AM/Tibor Vermes)

István Nagy spoke at the press conference preceding the event: not only environmental challenges, but also the political environment imposed on Hungary from Brussels requires serious efforts from farmers. The consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war, including the collapse of the EU’s internal agricultural market, and the dangers associated with Ukraine’s accession to the EU are all challenges for which reassuring answers can only be found with joint efforts. “We cannot stand idly by as Brussels threatens farmers’ area-based subsidies and completely changes agricultural financing, because in doing so they are playing with the food self-determination and security of European citizens,” the Minister said. He reminded that the government is offering 2,900 billion forints of investment support to the farming community through tenders, for which there is a 4-5-fold over-application. Those who endanger these resources are not allies of the farmers, they must be taken against in the most decisive way – he said, adding that all ideas about changing the subsidies are a trap: they are about how to reallocate these funds to Ukrainian farmers.

The amount allocated for domestic damage mitigation is 16.2 million euros, of which approximately 6.4 billion forints will go to those smaller farms that, based on their unified application last year, cultivate a maximum of 150 hectares and produce corn on a maximum of 50 hectares of this – he informed. He indicated that the awarding of certificates of support for food industry investment applications has begun. This will allow the start of developments supported with a maximum of 200 million forints each from a budget of approximately 50 billion forints, which serve the advancement of smaller agricultural enterprises and are essential for strengthening the “backbone” of local farms and the countryside, and increase the competitiveness of agriculture. The results of the applications submitted for complex food industry investments with a budget of 150 billion forints and a maximum of 5 billion forints per project will be announced soon – István Nagy drew attention. These subsidies also increase competitiveness, progress from raw material production to increasing the level of processing, increasing the added value with investments – he underlined. Regarding the foot-and-mouth disease that appeared in Hungary, he emphasized: the virus is extremely aggressive and causes great economic damage. He indicated: He personally established on site that animal health professionals are working hard to localize the disease and prevent its spread. The professional destruction of animals is ongoing – he added. According to him, if the disease does not reappear elsewhere by the weekend, we can breathe a little, and if it remains like this until next weekend, we can declare that we have curbed the epidemic. The government provides all the personal and financial conditions for this – he stated.

MTI