OREANDA-NEWS Toxins and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were found in several shipments of corn from Ukraine to Hungary. This was announced on Monday in an interview with Magyar Nemzet newspaper by Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy. "Most of the Ukrainian agricultural producers receive their products in large farms with very low production costs, including through methods of growing and protecting plants that reduce the cost, but which are no longer allowed in the European Union," the head of the Ministry of Agriculture explained. According to him, that is why grain and other products from Ukraine are subject to strict quality control in Hungary. Recently, during such inspections, Nagy said, "several cases of mycotoxin contamination of corn were detected, as well as several cases of the presence of GMOs." "In addition, soybean contamination was detected in two cases," the minister added.

Speaking about the problem of supplies of Ukrainian agricultural products, including grain, at dumping prices, he noted that in Hungary, because of this, "not only farmers were in trouble." "Ukrainian agriculture, which has received duty-free access to the European market, has started exporting large quantities of poultry, eggs and honey in addition to grain, which displaces Hungarian products from their traditional markets and knocks selling prices below the level of production costs," Nagy said.

On April 15, he announced the introduction in Hungary of a ban on the import of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products until June 30. At the same time, the transit of Ukrainian grain and oilseeds through the country will be preserved. The Government expects that in the next two months the European Commission will be able to take comprehensive measures to resolve the situation.