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István Nagy, Minister of Agriculture, held a meeting on Thursday with Ettore Prandini, president of Coldiretti, Italy’s Farmers Association, on the ban on cultivated meat (also known as cultured meat) and the protection of traditional rural values.
According to a statement, the minister said that Italy has banned the production and marketing of cultivated meat, which “is being studied by Hungary and is considered an example to be followed.” The issue of regulation is also on the agenda of Hungary’s EU presidency, as they want to have a broad dialogue on the topic.
The minister noted that normality and the work of farmers, who have two feet on the ground, must be respected. Some people have become distanced from nature, “creating a pseudo-romanticism about the living world.”
The majority of society needs to understand that without farmers there is no food and no future,”
he stressed, adding that they are working on how to restore social recognition for the farming community.
István Nagy also pointed out that a great amount of funding is available to support investment in the domestic food industry. “To implement these developments, Hungary is counting on Italian investors and technological know-how.”
Addressing market difficulties caused by Ukrainian agricultural products was also discussed. In this context, the politician noted that
the market is being taken over, and in this situation “it is our duty to protect the interests of Hungarian farmers.”
He added that it is an important principle for Hungary that foodstuffs entering the EU from third countries must also meet EU quality standards.
The EU has suspended import duties, quotas, and trade defense measures on imports from Ukraine since June 2022, to support the country’s economy in the wake of the war. However, the too cheap Ukrainian grain exports have led to protests from producers in Poland and Hungary.
Via MTI; Featured image via Pexels