The issue of improper dealing has been raised in one case in Heves county when state owned land was rented by a foreign company.

The firm, which is under foreign ownership, is renting arable land at 100 Ft/ha, grassland at 50 Ft/ha and forest at 0 Ft/ha, said Mr. Ángyán at the farmers’ forum held in Hódmezővásárhely. The state secretary explained that the Ministry of Rural Development has taken steps to provide land for individual farmers; however, it was first necessary to establish the National Land Fund on September 1, 2010 in order to implement the government’s policy on farms.

We are in the process of preparing and inventory of state-owned lands. The ownership of 250.000 hectares is unclear and a further 400.000 hectares are being rented by investment companies. Of these companies only 80%, 1080 companies in all, have signed a contract with the government. These contracts must be reviewed, said Mr. Ángyán.

According to János Lázár, Mayor of Hódmezővásárhely, it was usually people under social and financial pressure who joined the life annuity for land program and this actually means that land received following the regime change is often squandered. The government has to reconsider other measures for helping such families.

The protection of Hungarian agricultural land must be included in the new constitution. All participants at the forum urged similar action. János Lázár, fraction leader of FIDESZ and State Secretary Ángyán, also stressed that Hungarian Agriculural land must be protected by the constitution.

(Ministry of Rural Development, Press Office)