Comments on the competitiveness of Hungarian agriculture

Csáki, Csaba

Keywords: competitiveness, changing circumstance, production structure, agricultural strategy, complex solution

Hungarian agriculture is characterised by declining competitiveness and loss of position and markets both at home and abroad. The gravest problem of the domestic farming world is the lack of adaptation to changing market conditions. A contributory factor to this unfortunate situation was the fact that the change of agricultural regime, that had in any case been well over due, did not taken place according to an up to date agricultural strategy, after adequate preparations before joining the EU. The shift of production structure toward extensive farming, low income producing capacity, is exceptionally harmful. In attempting to make improvements it is advisable to consider the present situation in the light of forthcoming changes in European farming and agricultural policies. Improvements in competitiveness require a strategy based on consensus and a serious of complex tasks to execute. Factors to be considered are the expected liberalisation of agricultural markets, the domestic approaches relating to bio-technology and GMO plants, evaluation of bio-energy production, future of CAP, harmony of domestic industrial structure, settlement of land ownership questions and rapid technological developments with particular emphasis on supporting scientific research, co-operation of farmers, effective co-operation between private and state concerns and a new type of synthesis of agriculture and countryside.

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