The Hungarian authorities will not re-impose a ban on the import of honey from Ukraine, despite the demands of beekeepers who consider such imports a threat to their business.
Last year, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban banned imports of 24 agricultural products from Ukraine, including grain, pork, and honey.
On 19 February, Budapest lifted the ban on honey imports, sparking protests involving about 22,000 Hungarian farmers.
Agriculture Minister István Nagy told Reuters that the unilateral ban did not affect the Hungarian market, as wholesale purchase prices did not rise to the level that local farmers had hoped for.
At the same time, the ban had a negative impact on companies that packaged and exported honey to other EU countries.
Background. As reported, the EU has agreed to partially restrict imports from Ukraine to stop farmers' protests. The European Commission will be able to impose duties if imports exceed the volume of supplies for 2022-2023.