Apple consumption campaign in Hungary

The Hungarian government has launched a campaign calling for Hungarians to consume more apples after a predicted record crop of 780-800,000 tons and the Russian agricultural embargo against the EU. One of the oppositon parties has come up with alternative proposals.

In Hungary, 60% of all fruits produced is apple and the average Hungarian consumes 15 kilograms a year. Now, the government calls for people to eat more apples to help producers who are likely to be in a difficult situation with a record crop while an important export market, Russia has closed its markets in response to EU sanctions introduced after Russian territorial aggression against the Ukraine.

The government is providing financial support for producers hit by the situation and the EU also provides funding to ease the consequences of the Russian embargo. However, these subsidies reach only a fraction of the producers and the population is asked to lend a helping hand by eating more apples.

The opposition Socialist Party has called on the government to reduce VAT on apple (from the European recored high 27% to just 5%) to reduce the possibility of vblack market imports from other countries also affcted by the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. The Socialists also pointed out that the minister of agriculture is late with this campiagn as they, the Socialists have already been doing it for a month.