“Croatia has been one of the most promising and most rapidly expanding markets for Hungarian agricultural products in recent years, particularly since 2013, when the country joined the European Union”, Minister of Agriculture Sándor Fazekas said in a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI on Friday from Bjelovar, Croatia.
The Minister, who was attending the 22nd International Bjelovar Agriculture Exhibition in northern Croatia and held bilateral talks with Croatian Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić, explained: Hungary exports sunflower seeds, animal feed, milk and milk products, pork, poultry meat, fruits and vegetables, maize and grain to Croatia.
“We exported 110 million euros worth of products to Croatia during the first five months of the year, which represents a year-on-year increase of 22 percent”, explained the Minister, adding that in 2016 Hungarian exports reached 220 million euros, with 87 million euros in imports.
One of the main topics during Mr. Fazekas’s talks with his Croatian counterpart was the problem of dual food quality. Croatia recently published the results of a comparative study concerning the content and quality of food products distributed by large international companies in both Western Europe and Croatia, during the course of which differences were found in more than half of the product pairs tested.
Accordingly, the Hungarian Agriculture Minister invited Mr. Tolušić to attend Hungary’s National Agriculture and Food Industry Exhibition and Fair (OMÉK), which begins on 20 September, and during which a conference will be held with the participation of the Visegrád Group and other Eastern and Central European countries (Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria) at which the main topics of discussion will include dual food quality and unfair business practises.
“The Common Agricultural Policy is also facing reform within the EU, and cooperation between the two countries is also required in this field in the interests of Hungarian and Croatian farmers and consumers”, the Minister added.
“The goal is to assure that consumers have access to healthy and good quality foods, and that CAP funding is in fact received by producers, enabling them to cultivate and produce foods more successfully and at better prices”, he said.
With regard to the International Bjelovar Agriculture Exhibition, Mr. Fazekas told the press that Hungary is one of the largest exhibitors and the expo’s guest of honour. “Hungary and Croatia are each other’s strategic partners”, he stressed.
“Several companies and entrepreneurs are showcasing their wares: Hungarian craft foods, meat products, desserts and agricultural machinery. Hungary’s medicinal baths, the Hungarian National Trading House network, and Hungarian forest management and agricultural research companies are also taking part in the exhibition”, the Minister said.