Hungary Maintains Import Ban on Ukrainian Agricultural Products

Hungary will continue to block imports of Ukrainian corn and wheat to protect domestic farmers, Agriculture Minister István Nagy confirmed following a meeting with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka. Exports from Ukraine will only be allowed if Hungary explicitly requests them.
Nagy highlighted the challenges facing Hungarian agriculture, including climate change, drought, rising energy costs, and low crop prices. He emphasized that allowing unrestricted Ukrainian exports—potentially four to five times pre-war levels under the Brussels-Kyiv pact—would severely harm Hungarian farmers and European agriculture by creating unfair competition.
The minister also noted that Ukrainian producers are not required to meet strict EU animal and plant health standards, further disadvantaging EU farmers. Additionally, Nagy expressed concerns about the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, stating that in its current form it could negatively affect EU and Hungarian agriculture. He reiterated that the government prioritizes the protection of domestic producers.