Hungary presses the EU to scrap tariffs on Belarusian fertilizers
Budapest states that farmers need cheaper fertilizers due to rising prices, disagreeing with the EU's policy aimed at limiting the financial capabilities of aggressor countries in the war against Ukraine, writes Politico.
Hungary is pressing the European Union to suspend tariffs and additional duties on fertilizer imports from Belarus and Russia, as the war in Iran threatens to increase global food prices.
In a letter to the European Commission, Hungarian Minister of Agriculture István Nagy warned that rising global fertilizer prices and supply uncertainty, caused by the war in Iran, pose a risk of pressure on EU farmers and increased food costs.
He called for a temporary reduction of duties on Belarusian and Russian products to zero, warning that Hungary could face a low harvest if access to cheap imports remains restricted.
The country produces only nitrogen fertilizers domestically and relies on foreign supplies of phosphorus and potassium.
Budapest is also pushing the EU to soften its ban on Russian gas to ease price pressure — an idea firmly rejected by Brussels.
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