Agromačaj keeps expanding
Agromačaj (Mačaj family), Slovakia’s largest vegetable grower, had record €42.9m sales last year but its net profit was down 67% to €2.6m. It grows mainly potatoes and onions. It explains its high profits, €23.7m in 2017-20, by irrigation and constant investments, mainly into warehouses. Its costs increased by 7-8% this year and it is trying to pass this onto consumers. This year it built a new €3m warehouse although the subsidy agency PPA, due to its own problems, had not issued the planned call for projects. In 17 years, state subsidies covered 11% of its investments. It opposes redirecting subsidies to small farms. It plans to buy farms in Czechia and Hungary, but has so far not found suitable acquisition targets.
