Budapest, Hungary
June 12, 2013

USDA/FAS GAIN report HU 1304

Highlights:

In Hungary there is both a deep-seated social distrust of biotech crops and the belief that Hungarian farmers profit from being a leading ‘GMO-free’ supplier of food and feed to European markets. Hungary has constitutionally banned genetically engineered plants from its agricultural sector and has recently amended its Act on Biotechnology. In 2011, non-transparent enforcement of new seed testing rules resulted in the destruction of corn fields and large fines for seed companies. In 2012 and 2013 prominent politicians again raised the specter of GMO contamination in crops.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Hungary is a major European producer of corn, wheat, and rapeseed. Hungary opposed the use of genetically engineered (GE) plant varieties well before its EU membership in 2004. A main argument was the defense of Hungary’s position as a non-GE supplier to European corn and corn seed markets. Maintaining an edge in European markets was also given as a reason for Hungary’s 2005 moratorium on the planting of the EU-approved MON 810 corn variety. However, according to polls at that time, Hungarian consumers were not solidly against GE products and farmers were quite curious about the technology.

A major turn came with elections in 2010 when a new coalition led by the Fidesz Party received a qualified majority in Parliament. The new Parliament re-wrote the Constitution to include many new themes, including a ban on ‘GMO’ crops. The governing coalition has raised populist sentiments against globalization, foreign influence, and promised to re-establish traditional Hungarian values. In agriculture, this has led to a public emphasis on domestic plant and animal varieties, traditional production methods, and to a certain extent, campaigns against foreign technologies, foreign ownership, and foreign products. While the rhetoric has at times been strong, in practice there has been little change in the agricultural technologies used or crops chosen by Hungarian farmers since 2010.

Following the 2010 elections, the former Ministries of Environment and Agriculture were merged into the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD). This reflected the growing voice of the Hungarian “green” movement and resulted in further administrative opposition to GE crops and related enforcement measure.

A recent amendment to the Act on Biotechnology did not bring large policy changes; however, enforcement of the law and the use of Ministerial orders give the government broad authority. At the end of 2012, the Hungarian government sponsored a public relations ‘road-show’ with events in eight locations across the country to promote its anti-GE policies.

Full report

Website: http://www.fas.usda.gov/

Published: July 3, 2013