The early spring weather has been favourable for vegetable producers, so the entire range of early Hungarian vegetables is available from April, as reported by the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) to Hirado.hu. They also stated that imported products are gradually being replaced by Hungarian ones, which are said to be superior in terms of freshness.
At present, about 2,600 hectares are cultivated by Hungarian farmers under greenhouse and foil. In recent years, there have been continuous improvements in the sector boosted by the modernization of Hungarian thermal energy and greenhouse technologies. The largest production area is in the Southern Great Plain region, which has excellent light conditions and where about eighty percent of greenhouse vegetables are produced.
Besides radish, onion and lettuce, the full range of early products includes peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and cabbage. These products hit the shelves not just of retail chains, but also of the Budapest and Szeged wholesale markets. Consequently, the supply of imported goods originating from the Mediterranean region will be minimal in the coming weeks.
It was reported that some 400,000 tonnes of vegetables are currently produced in Hungary, 90% of which are sold domestically. As a result of the sector's developments, there should be greater opportunities to export in the future, as well. To achieve this, however, there is a need for closer cooperation between the producers, who should strive for joint sales.
Source: hirado.hu
