As Europe is battling with the global COVID-19 pandemic, it is already clear that the health crisis will also have a significant economic fallout. The disruption of global production chains, the stock market plunge and the loss of export will also affect the Hungarian economy. Here are the latest news on the effects of the crisis on the country’s agriculture

Hungary witnessed its first ASF infection cases in wild boars on April 21st 2018, in Heves county. The most likely source of infection is food waste, possibly introduced by foreign citizens, many of whom work in industrial facilities located in the area, however, traffic on the M3 motorway nearby could also have played a role. At the moment, no outbreaks in the domestic pig production have been found, but the disease is currently  found in several counties: Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Hajdú-Bihar, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Heves, Nógrád, Pest and Békés.

The agriculture team of the Netherlands embassy in Budapest completed this report. Read more about the state of food waste in Hungary, initiatives dealing with the issue, and some of the biggest challenges in solving it.