REDISTRIBUTION OF LAND FAVOURS FOREIGNERS

The National Union of Farmers (MAGOSZ) claims that foreigners have even better opportunities for buying lands if the the law about the National Land Funds will be amended.

Most of the Hungarian farmers are not in such a financial condition that they could take out a loan so the government loans will probably go to companies that make their profits mainly not in the branch of agriculture. Ferenc Obreczán, secretary-general of MAGOSZ emphasized that the amendment served mainly the interests of large companies.

József Gráf, Minister of Agriculture said yesterday there would be loans for 1-20 years with an interest of 3.5 pc and the sum could be 1-50 million forints while the area to be bought had the upper limit of 300 hectares. The programme plans to redistribute 100 000 hectares, now in state property. The farmers of animal husbandry greet the plan but they have doubts about the methods of redistribution because no one knows who will decide about the size of the lands demanded by the farms.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó