As a result of the national development programs Hungary became one of the "leading" medicinal plant producer of Europe in the last century. By the estimates the cultivation area of medicinal and aromatic plants rise up to 40-45 thousand hectare, producing 35-40 thousand tones of drug including plant material coming from natural ecosystems. The conditions for medicinal and aromatic plant production were modified as a result of the local political-economical, as well as biological changes, recently. At the same time we had to meet a new European regulation system in both production of drugs and in processing of phytomedicines.

The natural plant supply, because of the re-evaluation of the national bio-potential, decreased. It is shown by the enlarging number of protected and endangered species. The production ratio shifts to the direction of cultivation and the farms, which were established recently, should play an important role in it.

From political point of view the privatisation (privatisation of forests, meadows etc.) may limit the area used for wild collection.

The wholesale system changed dramatically, too. After the collapse of the government monopoly many new purchasing and wholesale companies, as well as number of the retail dealers had been established generating both promotion and adverse effect on the activity of the sector.

As a result of the political-economical changes many new firms were licensed to export-import of medicinal and aromatic plants.

The Hungarian producers had to adapt to the new EU regulations accepted for controlling exportation and importation of drugs.

In development, processing and registration of phytomedicines the procedures specified in EU directives have to be executed.