Hungary asks EU to reconsider aid for farmers

Hungary has asked the European Union to put fruit and vegetable subsidies on the agenda of the Special Committee on Agriculture. Hungary’s request follows the European Commission’s decision to suspend aid to farmers affected by the Russian ban on EU agricultural products.

The EU agriculture committee should discuss the issue without delay, Hungary's agriculture and regional development office (MVH) said in a statement today.

EC commissioner for agriculture and rural development Dacian Ciolos announced on September 10 that aid to EU farmers would be suspended. Member states’ applications for subsidies were several times higher than the total EU average annual exports to Russia, the commissioner argued.

Hungary had already indicated earlier on that more than EUR 125 mln would be necessary to compensate Hungarian farmers. There were only 226 applicants from Hungary and the amount of subsidy requested was low, MVH said.

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