According to the laws in effect, plants and seeds contaminated with GMOs must be destroyed, and the Ministry of Rural Development will act in strict accordance with these rules – announced the ministry's State Secretary for Food Chain Control and Agricultural Administration.

Endre Kardeván stated: the affected farmers are already being sent the official decisions on this issue and the surveying of the contaminated areas is occurring continually. The State Secretary announced: the Ministry of Rural Development and the Central Agriculture Office will implement the stipulations of the statue to the full.

The standpoint of the government and the Ministry of Rural Development is clear: it is not permitted to sow or reap any GMO-contaminated seeds or crops in Hungary – State Secretary for Food Chain Control and Agricultural Administration Endre Kardeván reminded those present. He also stated that areas in which the corn must be destroyed are being continuously surveyed, also noting what expenses this is likely to incur. The State Secretary stressed that farmers will not be adversely affected and shall not incur any damages as a result of these measures.

As has been previously reported, the Ministry recently amended the statue on agricultural seeds in record time to enable the plant cultivation authority to act even more efficiently in the interests of making contaminated areas free from GMOs. According to the amended statute, the cultivation of all seeds contaminated with GMOs is now against the law. The Central Agriculture Office will quarantine the crops grown from contaminated seeds, as well as the crops found in the buffer area around them, and it will then be the responsibility of the producer to destroy these in such a way that the contamination is unable to spread further. If this does not occur then the Central Agriculture Office may destroy the contaminated crops itself.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)