Following the rainless summer months, Hungarian crop production has found itself in a tragic situation, noted Zoltán Demeter, head of K&H’s agricultural division. Due to the extreme water shortage experienced nationwide, corn production could set another negative record this year, which will necessitate a fundamental reassessment of the future of this crop in Hungary.

“The precipitation situation is critical both nationally and locally: on average, about 180 millimeters is currently missing from the one-meter soil layer. As a result, even compared to the 2022 national yield of 2.8 million metric tons — which was the worst on record at the time — we expect a drastic decline of about 50 percent: this year’s corn production is expected to range between just 1 and 1.5 million metric tons,” noted Zoltán Demeter.

The expert emphasized: “This dramatic decline is no longer a one-off annual phenomenon, but part of a lasting trend. While Hungary produced 6.3 million metric tons of corn in 2023, that figure fell to 5.3 million in 2024 and 3.9 million in 2025, and this year’s harvest is expected to reach only a fraction of previous levels. It must be recognized that growing corn is becoming an increasingly greater challenge in Hungary under current climate conditions. Farmers and the sector must accept that, due to steadily declining yields, it has become inevitable to review their plans and operations and to embrace more drought-tolerant crop alternatives.”