Fruit and vegetable production in Hungary

The most picturesque photos of the Hungarian landscape always show draw wells rising out of the horizon in the the meadows and pastures of the Hungarian Great Plains, verdant green forests covering the sloping hillsides in the North and West, or hilltop castles overlooking golden fields of wheat , criss-crossed by wide, blue rivers and of course, dormant volcanoes rising above the aquamarine blue of Lake Balaton. However, if you ask a Hungarian about the elsewhere selling their produce at local markets, many will tell you about cherished childhood memories of sitting in the laps of smiling grandmas and grandpas, the sweet scent of ripe apples, plums, peaches and cherry, the vibrant cacophony of colors at the farmers' market. Fruit and vegetable growing is something that Hungary carries in its bones, in its collective memory. Even though these sectors have been slowly declining for decades, the country remains a strong net exporter of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. The ...