Former minister refutes claims of stagnation in Hungarian agriculture

A former minister has challenged assertions that Hungarian agriculture has seen no progress, pointing to significant economic development and the sector's ability to withstand global crises.

"One can argue about the future. One can set new goals. Indeed, one must. But to claim that nothing has happened is simply untrue," the former minister stated. He questioned the source of renewed investment in thousands of farms, the construction of new plants, and the development of the food industry, especially given the challenges of a pandemic, energy crisis, and severe droughts.

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One can argue about the future. One can set new goals. Indeed, one must. But to claim that nothing has happened is simply untrue.

The new Common Agricultural Policy for 2023-2027 marks a new era for Hungarian agriculture, with substantial funding available for rural development, exceeding 3,150 billion forints in the rural development pillar. The government's objective is to maintain agricultural stability, enhance competitiveness, and position Hungarian agriculture among Europe's leaders by 2030.

Government measures are designed to increase the sector's productivity by 50%, double its added value, and expand exports from 10 billion euros to 16 billion euros by the end of the decade. These efforts aim to ensure the continued resilience and growth of the Hungarian agricultural sector.

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Perhaps the most important question is this: if nothing has really happened, then from what have thousands of farms been renewed? From what have new plants been built? From what has the food industry developed? And from what has Hungarian agriculture managed to survive despite the pandemic, the energy crisis, and historical droughts?