Imported vegetables, often from third-party countries in North Africa, continue to exert significant pressure on the market. However, Hungarian growers can meet shoppers' needs during the domestic season with a far smaller environmental footprint.
However, price sensitivity among consumers remains a significant issue, and Hungarian producers are often at a disadvantage due to the additional costs imposed by strict EU regulations. The net result has been that the share of imported vegetables in shops has steadily increased as consumers opt for lower prices, particularly since the energy crisis.
"The goal during the season, from late April through to the end of October, would be around 80%, which would mean returning to the levels seen in 2019 and 2020. Right now, both in Hungary and Central and Eastern Europe, import pressure is extreme," warns Sándor Nagypéter, president of Délkertész.
"Even after the start of the domestic season in May, peppers from the North African region are widely available in shops. This puts Hungarian producers in a difficult situation. However, expecting an 80% or higher share for peppers and tomatoes throughout the full season is not unrealistic; this was already achieved around Pentecost in most supermarket chains," he adds.
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