Producers were unhappy about the fact that silos are at 150% capacity as compared to normal levels at this time of the year.Continue reading
Thanks to the joint action of the five EU Member States bordering Ukraine, the European Commission has extended the ban on imports of certain agricultural products from Ukraine into the EU until September 15, 2023, the Agriculture Minister said on his Facebook page.
István Nagy explained that the import ban applies to wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds from Ukraine, adding that it is a success for the five Member States concerned that the Commission considers the extended import ban valid also for contracts concluded before May 2. At the same time, Hungary has repealed the national restriction, which removes all unilateral national trade measures previously introduced, leaving only the import restrictions for the four crops covered by the EU regulation in place.
The extension period provides an opportunity to find a common European solution to the situation on the cereals market, taking into account the increased burden on the most affected member states, the interests of farmers, and ensures a real common burden-sharing at EU level.
The Hungarian government has always stood by Hungarian farmers and is open to an agreement that guarantees their interests in the long term, Nagy emphasized.
Recently, Hungarian farmers, together with their Eastern European counterparts, demonstrated in Brussels against the dumping of Ukrainian agricultural and food products on the European market and for compensation for the resulting damage. Balázs Győrffy, President of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture, told Világgazdaság that they wanted to ensure that the import ban remained in force at least until the end of the year.
In light of the recent news, the chamber now expects the current measure to be extended. The president added that Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, saw the possibility of extending the import ban to eggs and poultry meat, and of increasing aid to farmers affected from €100 million to €250 million.
Featured photo via Pixabay