Only with a proactive approach can we regain those markets that the previous government lost, and so Hungarian agricultural diplomats will be visiting a whole series of countries that at one time regularly purchased Hungarian products – announced Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas on Saturday in Berlin, where he took part in the International summit of agricultural ministers.
Agriculture ministers from almost 70 countries took part in discussions at the summit, which was organised in connection with the Agriculture Fair and Exhibition called International Green Week. Participation is of extreme importance for Hungary, as in the words of Sándor Fazekas, "If we wish to have part of the food production market, we must also sit down at the table for discussions".
The next few months will involve active agricultural diplomacy, aimed at among others China, India, Russia and Brazil, with which the Budapest leadership wishes to strengthen relationships that had been neglected by the previous government, and to open up new markets.
In Berlin, Sándor Fazekas also took part in around a dozen bilateral discussions, with among others the Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, whom he also invited to visit Hungary. The Minister stated that there are varied opportunities within the relationship between the two countries; for instance, Brazil is not a wine producer, and there is significant interest within the country with regard to Tokaj wines.
International Green Week is the sectors largest international fair. Anyone who does not take part in the exhibition and the related discussions may easily find themselves "out of the club", said Sándor Fazekas. He called the Hungarian participation at the fair a success, emphasising the fact that there was "record interest" in the reception held at the Hungarian Embassy in Berlin following the opening ceremony, with the participation of among others FAO General Secretary José Graziano Da Silva.
The role of Hungarian agricultural diplomacy is to open the way for the business sector, leading to increased food exports, without which there would be no "Hungarian production and Hungarian jobs", said the Minister.
The participants at the World Summit of Agriculture Ministers agreed that the international community must work together more in the interests of food safety and successfully winning the fight against starvation. The ministers drafted recommendations on how agriculture might contribute to these issues, and they will be presented at the FAO conference on sustainable development in June.
Hungary is also in favour of the proposals included in the Summit's closing document, said Sándor Fazekas. He added, there is much to do in amongst others the area of food utilization, as according to estimates 20-25 percent of food produced is not consumed and ends up as waste; if we could save only half of this quantity, it would put an end to starvation in the world.
(MTI)
