After meeting Julia Gross, Germany’s Ambassador to Hungary, in Budapest, Agriculture Minister István Nagy said Germany is traditionally Hungary’s most important economic partner, and this applies to the agricultural sector too.
Minister Nagy said agricultural trade hit records between the two countries in 2022. Hungary has increased government funding for projects of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy to 80%, he noted. The developments are raising hopes of further economic cooperation with Germany, he said. “We want to build food plants, meat plants, warehouses, food drying systems and coolers. Excellent cooperation is especially important as those projects may lead to further economic partnership. We would like to count on Germany in technological developments,” the minister said. While sustainable agriculture is essential for Hungary, farmers’ interests must also be considered, he said. Hungary agrees with the EU initiative to curb the use of pesticides, but has issues with a blanket goal to drop pesticide use by 50%, he said. Hungary has already cut emissions, with pesticide consumption so low it only comes to one-third of some member states, he said. A blanket measure would harm Hungarian farmers’ competitiveness, he said. Nagy also called for food imported from third countries to be subject to the same requirements as those from member states.