Hungary to implement stricter regulations on agricultural imports from Ukraine | Global News

Hungary’s government has announced new restrictions on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products in an effort to protect Hungarian farmers from market fluctuations caused by cheaper Ukrainian imports. Agricultural Minister István Nagy stated that the 2022 European Union decision to allow duty-free imports from Ukraine had resulted in oversupply and low prices in the European agricultural market, putting Hungarian farmers at a disadvantage.

Nagy criticized the EU and its executive commission for failing to protect European farmers and accused them of supporting Ukrainian oligarchs instead. Hungary, which has had a strained relationship with Ukraine, has been reluctant to support Kyiv during its conflict with Russia. The government has implemented a five-point plan to assist Hungarian farmers, including requiring sellers and logistics companies to report restricted products being imported via Ukraine.

The restrictions will also apply to processed products made from Ukrainian grain. Last year, Hungary banned the import of 24 Ukrainian agricultural products, including grains, oil seeds, flour, cooking oil, and meat products. The government recently removed Ukrainian natural honey from the list of banned products.

In March, the EU agreed to renew its temporary suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural exports, with a reinforced safeguard to reintroduce tariff-rate quotas if imports exceed average volumes imported in 2022 and 2023. The move aims to address concerns about the impact of cheap Ukrainian imports on European farmers.