Our readers surely can remember that a few weeks ago we wrote about the quality of Szeged paprika in Hungarian language on the Day of Food security. It is very interesting to see how a local producer of Szeged paprika can identify and protect its products against imports (Spanish paprika).
This theme is not only relevant today. Also for over 100 years ago the farmers were confronted with similar problems.
Below we are quoting from an artical in the DélMagyarország newspaper of April, 26th 1914. Only 2 months before the start of WW1 did the article mention about the situation of the Szeged paprika….
„City council decides measurements for protecting the reputation of Szeged Paprika”
– Agenda point at City Council in April –
In Szeged over 2000 families are professionally engaged in the growing of paprika on an agricultural field surfacing over 5000 jugerums.
In the last few years the sales of paprika has not increased although it also has not dropped. Reason for this is that in Szeged farmers started to grow and market Spanish-origin paprika (pimenton) and offered this on the market at cheaper prices and higher volumes. This has influenced the good reputation of Szeged paprika which has a negative impact on the prices and the consumer trust abroad.
Szegedi paprika
New opinions have been formed such as that is not possible anymore to get 100% pure original Szeged paprika. Also the foreign traders figured that they can make better deals by mixing the Szeged paprika with cheap Spanish paprika or just fully replace the Szeged paprika with Spanish origin.
This situation is obviously not in the interest of the farmers nor for the traders. Their profits made with Spanish import paprika are just for the time being. Soon everybody will replace Szeged paprika by the Spanish and than everybody will be out of business.
That the worries we have in foreign countries are true we can also see in latestvolume figures, where last year the Szeged area has filled some 300 (train) wagons of Szeged paprika, they also imported some 100 wagons with paprika from Spain.
The easiest is to increase the import tax but as this will only validate in 3 years we would need to live without any protectionist measurements. This is why the City Council has decided to introduce an alternative measurement, that are not obligatory but are able to reinstall the good reputation of the Szeged paprika.
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