The Ministry of Rural Development has concluded a strategic partnership agreement with representatives of the medicinal plant industry, Minister of State for Food Chain Supervision and Agricultural Economy Endre Kardeván announced at a professional meeting organised by the Medicinal Plant Association and Product Council.

Mr. Kardeván explained that the objective of the strategic agreement was to find a solution that assures the continuation of the traditions of the time-honoured Hungarian medicinal plant profession, while incorporating new technology and meeting the challenges posed by the market.

There is high demand for herbal remedies in Europe, with demand for high quality medicinal plants increasing by 7 percent each year, Mr, Kardeván said, adding that with such stiff competition it is not enough to simply create high quality medicinal products, but success also requires a comprehensive market and advertising strategy.

Around 20 thousand tons of dried medicinal plants are processed in Hungary each year, 70 percent of which grow in the wild under natural conditions. Around 110-120 species of plant grow in Hungary that are suitable for medicinal purposes, and the are of land used for cultivating medicinal plants is some 18-21 hectares.

Some 5 thousand people are involved in collecting medicinal plants, with around 25 enterprises cultivating them, who provide work for an additional 1500-2000 people. The collection and cultivation of medicinal plants generates an annual gross income of some 10 billion forints (almost 33 million euros) in Hungary, while the sale of processed products with added value generates a further 40-50 billion forints.

The Ministry of Interior's Deputy State Secretary for public work programmes Imre Hoffmann told Hungarian news agency MTI that agriculture and horticulture represent one of the "project pillars" of public work in agriculture. Several local governments are involved in cultivating and collecting medicinal plants, and the Ministry of Interior would like to support these programmes in cooperation with the Medicinal Plant Association and Product Council.

(MTI, Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)