Nitrogen and phosphorus balances of Hungarian farms

The farm gate nutrient balance approach has improved nutrient management in Western-European countries by re-examining the routine agricultural practices. This paper reports on the farm gate nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) balances of typical Hungarian arable and mixed farms calculated for 2002–2004. The farm gate nutrient surpluses/deficits varied a great deal between the farms within 1 year and between the different years for one farm. This could partly be explained by the stock changes. The N and P balances calculated hypothetically (assuming increased or decreased purchase instead of an increase or decrease of stock of roughage, concentrates, manure, mineral fertilizers and seeds and presuming increased or decreased sales instead of an increase or decrease of stock of animals, animal products and plant products) clearly reflected the lower grain crop yields in 2003 due to the dry weather circumstances, especially for the arable farms. The east–west divide in Hungarian agriculture was shown in the total inputs and surpluses of N. The low farm gate P surpluses or even deficits of most selected farms indicate soil mining and are a warning for possible future crop deficiencies and yield reduction.