Farmers at demonstration: “We were deceived by the EU with Ukrainian grain”

The area around the border crossing at Zahony, Hungary was packed with protesting farmers after the European Union refused to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports. Balazs Gyorffy, president of the National Chamber of Agriculture, said the farmers had been deceived. The EU did not want to send grain to starving Africans and did not want to help war-torn Ukraine. The huge Ukrainian agribusinesses that produce the cereals are not registered in Ukraine.

Fotó: Kelet-Magyarország/Pusztai Sándor

Everyone has the right to know

The protesters also said that everyone has the right to know what is brought across the border. Products grown in Ukraine are not subject to EU food safety requirements and there are no strict regulations in the country.

Photo: Kelet-Magyarorszag/Sandor Pusztai

Hungarian farmers have done their best to comply with EU rules, but food safety cannot be maintained because Ukraine is flooding Hungary and several other countries with goods that do not meet the requirements at all.

Ukraine is also using pesticides that are not even known to young farmers in Hungary, because they were withdrawn from the market a long time ago.

We must state clearly that by protesting for an extension of the ban, local grain growers are not only protecting themselves, but also the entire population of the European Union," the portal writes.

Cover photo: Illustration (Photo: SZON)