The main issues of land consolidation in Hungary, with special regard to the voluntary exchange of lands

Land ownership and company structure is much more stabile in the agriculture of West-European countries than in Hungary. Therefore the lack of established land policy, land consolidation and farm regulation play the key role on the Hungarian agriculture’s ”map of problems”. These are strongly correlated and tasks urgently to be solved. These measurescould help to raise the international competitiveness of Hungarian agriculture, positively influence the population supporting and keeping ability of the agricultural sector, and enable an environmentally sound management.The question of land consolidation – considering the legal possibilities regarding the voluntary exchange of lands – has not moved from standstill since the birth of the Land Act 14 years ago. Whereas a general land consolidation would have a lot of advantages; which would go as far as the establishment of viable farming units, expansion of rural employment facilities, cost reduction, improvement of profitability, stabilization of thecorporate system of agriculture and land market.