The Hungarian fruit and vegetable sector has had a difficult time since the country joined the EU two years ago, said Dr Bela Martonffy, general manager of FruitVeB - the Hungarian fresh produce trade association.

This has been due to some extent to unfavourable weather, with a wet summer in 2004 and frost damage in early 2005. But the market situation has been complicated, resulting in a substantial reduction in both outdoor cultivation area for vegetables - from 104,000 to 74,000 hectares - and in greenhouses - from 5,000 to 4,000 hectares.

Yields have also fallen, from two million tonnes to 1.4mt of vegetables, said Martonffy. “Up to two years ago Hungary was in pole position in Europe in terms of the areas devoted to the cultivation of sweetcorn. Since then the amounts of produce providing the basis for the processing plants have declined drastically. The 71,300t of industrial tomatoes barely accounts for half of the actual quota that was granted.”

The situation in the fruit sector is not very promising either, with yields falling from 788,000 to 756,000 tonnes. Frost damage to the blossom blitzed the 2005 season, with losses ranging from 10 to 80 per cent, depending on the fruit type.

However, secretary general of FruitVeB, Dr Robert Lux, said on a more positive note that because 19 of the 25 member states were unable to meet their own fruit requirements from own production, Hungary still has potential. “This offers considerable possibilities for improving the position of Hungarian goods, not to mention the seasonal differences,” Lux said. He believes that good commercial prospects exist, for example, for Hungarian sour cherries, for apricots, sweet peppers, watermelons and mushrooms.

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