About HUF 36 billion in extra funds were obtained by Nitrogénművek Zrt. in Pét, owned by László Bige, in the last seven years, which were specifically taken away from the Hungarian farming community, the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture stated at a press conference in Szolnok on Thursday.

Sándor Farkas noted that HUF 36 billion is the same as the amount of the two-year irrigation development subsidy, so much money "landed in the pockets of Nitrogénművek in Pét, including the pockets of László Bige". He added: The government of Hungary devotes a great deal to the countryside, to its sustaining power, they cannot allow "such persons, businesses, companies" to destroy and make farmers uncertain.

The state secretary pointed out that HUF 4,265 billion are available for rural development in the EU development period 2021-2027, which creates an opportunity for the complete renewal of the countryside that has never existed and may not exist in the foreseeable future.

He added:

now, when an energy price explosion also occurred on the international market, Nitrogénművek Zrt., under the leadership of László Bige, started a drastic price increase in the last few weeks, which caught the Hungarian farming community completely unexpectedly, made the future of their farming uncertain and unpredictable. The current fertilizer prices are 2.5-3 times the previous ones, there is no reason for such a price increase

stated the state secretary.

Sándor Farkas reminded that during the investigations of the Economic Competition Office (GVH) the fact of cartelization was revealed, therefore the GVH imposed fines on the cartel owners, including Nitrogénművek Zrt.

"To this, László Bige said that they would serve Hungarian farmers one day in December, and export the rest"

- said the State Secretary of the AM.

He said that in the past few days László Bige promised the future Prime Minister candidate of the left, who won in the primaries, as much money "as much as he is not ashamed of, or as much as he asks for". Sándor Farkas considers all of this unacceptable and outrageous.

The State Secretary stated: the Hungarian agricultural sector was able to withstand the epidemic, producing and serving everyone in the same way. That is why they consider unacceptable and reject behavior that creates uncertainty, such as interfering with the price of fertilizer in the lives of Hungarian producers and farmers. In the next period, I would like to take appropriate steps to avoid such a case from happening again, much more attention will be paid to the elimination of cartels, he emphasized. He added: he does not dare to say that they will reduce the price of fertilizer, but they strive to create predictable economic conditions for all players in agriculture.

In response to a question, he said: there are countless importers in Hungary, and László Bige has already backed away from his previous idea - according to which they would serve Hungarian customers for one day in December - and stated that their products are available in sufficient quantities. "There will be enough fertilizer," declared Sándor Farkas.

He added: at the moment, the price of fertilizer has been established, the government will decide what kind of intervention it wants to take after appropriate consultations.

MTI

Photo: magyarnemzet.hu