Articles
CONSIDERATION UPON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUNGARIAN FRUIT INDUSTRY WITH ATTENTION ON CHANGES OF LABOUR AND STRUCTURE OF INVESTMENT AND IN THE PRODUCTION COST
On the average of the years from 1971 to 1975 some 1 400 000 tons of fruit have been produced yearly in Hungary, and this amount represented 5.3 % of the value of agricultural production, and 9.4 % of the production value of crop growing.
In Hungary, the share of persons working in agriculture fell from above 50 % before 1945 to a 18 % ratio by 1975.
In the course of recent years, a high-rate concentration and specialization have been realized in agriculture.
The production cost pattern of stone- and berry fruit plantations suited for mechanical harvest has changed, likewise, both the amortization costs of the harvester applied, and the share of the use of current assets within total expenditure have considerably increased.
In view of realizing the long-term targets set to fruit growing, the agricultural government has set up a wide-ranging subsidy system including establishment of new orchards, supply of machines and building of establishments required for their operation.
Under the conditions outlined above 30 to 35 000 ha new up-to-date orchards have to be establised every five years.
Inside the general scopes of planned economy, the individual farms are drawing up their plans independently.
Co-ordination of the national economy requirements and farm interests is realized only in an indirect way.
In relation the problems the possible solutions are outlined in the following:
- The production of all fruit species in one and the same farm is but rarely rendered possible by the different site requirements of individual fruit species.
The solution proposed would be that the farms perspectively engaged in fruit production should be designated, and in state farms establishment of 600 to 1200, in co-operative farms 300 to 800 ha orchard areas ought to be set as a target.
- Some territorial concentrations evolved in traditional