Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy announced a temporary ban on imports of grain and certain agricultural products from Ukraine, describing the move as a strategic measure to shield Hungarian farmers during a period of market volatility. The minister spoke in an interview with MTI, emphasizing that the decision is part of a broader, carefully calibrated approach to manage imports while maintaining domestic agricultural stability and price support for local producers.
During ongoing talks with the European Commission, Hungary has managed to preserve the key results and measures tied to the ban on Ukrainian agricultural imports. This persistence reflects Hungary’s intent to balance trade, safeguard rural livelihoods, and uphold the integrity of its market rules as the EU works through a coordinated, multi-country response to the situation.
Minister Nagy noted that Hungary will receive funding to assist farmers, with the European Commission agreeing to allocate the second tranche of a total 100 million euros. This financial support is aimed at offsetting short-term disruptions and helping producers maintain sustainable operations, invest in productivity, and weather any temporary shocks in the wake of ongoing trade tensions.
Additionally, Nagy said that Hungarian authorities would ensure the transit of grain from Ukraine across Hungarian territory to reach end destinations, including markets in Asia and Africa. By facilitating secure transit corridors, Hungary intends to prevent bottlenecks and keep supply chains flowing, while preserving the possibility for grain to reach international buyers where demand exists, subject to EU rules and bilateral agreements.
Earlier, Romanian Agriculture Minister Petre Daya urged Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Slovakia to rescind their grain import bans on Ukrainian products. The appeal signals a regional effort to align national measures with broader European policy and to avoid further fragmentation of the EU’s internal market for agricultural goods.
In parallel, the European Commission has proposed three concrete measures to regulate the evolving scenario surrounding Ukrainian agricultural imports. The commission’s spokespersons and leadership have stressed that these proposals are designed to bring greater clarity to market conditions, ensure fair competition, and protect farmers on both sides of the EU’s external borders, while honoring commitments to Ukrainian supply chains under existing agreements and conditionalities.