The traditionally agrarian region has retained its predominantly agricultural character. Agriculture is fundamental, but not exclusive: Sellye is one of the leading settlements of the Ős-Dráva Programme, while an industrial park is available for new investments.
Transport and logistics
Sellye’s transport situation is fundamentally shaped by the traditionally isolated nature of the Ormánság region, which has meant it has always been situated some distance from the main transport routes. The nearest main road is the M60, which runs from Barcs via Pécs to Budapest and can be accessed at Darány, Szigetvár or Szentlőrinc; all three locations are roughly the same distance away, at 26–28 km.
The nearest point on the motorway network is the Pécs-Nyugat junction on the M60, which is 46 km from Sellye. The planned extension of the M60 will significantly improve this situation: in the first phase, the distance to the motorway is expected to be halved as the road is extended to Szigetvár.
The county town, Pécs, is 48 km away. The Croatian border is barely 10 km away as the crow flies, but the nearest Drava bridge and border crossing are both located at Barcs and Drávaszabolcs, 39–40 km away. The advantage of this location is that through traffic does not affect the town.
Sellye’s rail link is currently provided by branch line No. 61, which connects the town with Szentlőrinc. The railway company has suspended all services on branch line No. 62, which runs from Barcs to Villány. Although most of the tracks remain in place, the line is currently unsuitable even for freight traffic.
Line 61, however, provides a service of adequate quality. The railcars run on a two-hourly timetable, which on the one hand provides the necessary conditions for daily commuting, and on the other hand, via a change at Szentlőrinc, makes the county town and, through the IC trains stopping there, the capital accessible. Sellye railway station is suitable for loading large quantities or heavy goods onto wagons and transporting them by rail.
In terms of local bus services, Sellye is an important hub, although connections that do not require a change are typically concentrated in the region. Direct access to the town is available from most villages in the Ormánság region, but of the more distant ones, only Barcs, Mohács, Pécs and Szigetvár can be reached without changing buses. The departure times of services covering the area are mostly timed to coincide with the start of work and school, enabling daily commuting.
Infrastructure and public services
Sellye is characterised by a well-kept, small-town atmosphere. The roads within the town are mostly paved and in good condition, and the rainwater drainage systems are carefully maintained. Renovation work is ongoing; in recent years, the local council has refurbished several kilometres of pavements.
Baranya Víz Zrt. is responsible for the town’s drinking water supply and the operation of the sewerage network and sewage treatment plant. Sellye falls within the service area of the Szigetvár plant management. A drinking water quality improvement programme with a budget of over 1.5 billion forints is underway in the villages of the local authority association led by the town; the first phase involved the drilling of new wells and the installation of water treatment systems. By the end of the project, Sellye will act as a central water supply hub for 22 settlements.
The town is the centre of the Sellye district, which comprises 38 municipalities and has a population of 13,000. Accordingly, the district office is based here. However, the range of administrative services available is not comprehensive: the local authority, child welfare, employment and government service centres operate locally. Matters falling outside their remit can be dealt with in Szigetvár or Pécs.
The National Chamber of Agriculture maintains a village agronomist’s office in the town.
In Sellye, primary healthcare is provided by several general practitioners, paediatricians and dentists. The Ormánság Health Centre is operated by a non-profit limited company owned by the town and a further 36 local authorities in the Ormánság region. Through contracted doctors, around two dozen different specialist clinics funded by the National Health Service are available locally, ranging from surgery and gynaecology to radiology, laboratory diagnostics and physiotherapy. The central medical emergency service for the region is also based here. The facility offers executive health check-ups as a fee-paying service. More advanced diagnostic equipment and hospital care are available at the nearest locations in Szigetvár or Pécs.
The town maintains its own crèche and nursery school (with 112 children). The Kiss Géza Primary School, with 256 pupils, provides primary education as well as Croatian bilingual minority education and basic music training for its pupils. Secondary education is provided locally by the Sellye Agricultural Technical College, Vocational School and Boarding School, where young people can study agricultural engineering and agricultural engineering technician courses in various formats. Within the framework of adult education, applicants can also obtain a ‘Golden Ear’ farmer qualification. The institution currently has 141 students.
The municipal nursery is maintained by the Sellye Regional Institutional Association, which comprises seven localities.
The local council has partnerships with the county chamber of commerce, as well as the universities of Pécs and Zagreb, aimed at innovation and economic development.
Key economic players
The leading sectors in Sellye are the food industry and light manufacturing, but local companies are not limited solely to these areas. The typical company size is a small or medium-sized enterprise with fewer than 100 employees, alongside which there are many micro-enterprises and sole traders.
Alongside manufacturing companies, the role of tourism is growing. The Sellye lido and attractions linked to the Ormánság region’s folk heritage (country house, museum) are of interest to many. There are six restaurants and a café in the town to cater for tourists.
Here are a few examples of businesses operating in Sellye, though this list is by no means exhaustive:
- Agrokémia Zrt. – A company engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of plant protection products.
- Samato Kft. – A Hungarian-owned company specialising in the manufacture of car care fluids, antifreeze, disinfectants and household chemicals.
- O és R Építőipari Kft. – A Hungarian-owned company specialising in structural and civil engineering, general construction contracting and building services engineering
- PI-ER Kft. – A Hungarian-owned company manufacturing waterproof technical and workwear.
- Drávamenti ÁFÉSZ – A company engaged in the retail sale of food and other consumer goods.
- MG-Sziget Kft. – A Hungarian-owned company specialising in poultry farming.
- Ligo-Trade Kft. – A Hungarian-owned company specialising in the processing of walnut kernels and the trade in products made from walnut kernels.
Areas designated for economic purposes
Sellye is one of six towns in Baranya County to have its own industrial park. Located in the southern part of the town, the site covers a total of 51 hectares, of which 36 hectares are currently available. These can be utilised for greenfield investments under both lease and purchase arrangements.
The street-front section of the former cheese factory is available for brownfield development. The repurposing of the building forms part of Sellye’s medium-term economic strategy. Plans include the creation of a business incubation space that will enable start-ups to launch their operations at minimal cost.
The market, which supports sales opportunities for local farmers and primary producers, is one of the town’s latest investments. Built at a cost of 150 million forints, the accessible market building provides modern facilities for both traders and shoppers.
Economic support and tax policy
The Sellye local authority will lease or sell land it owns that is suitable for investment purposes to investors at a reduced price, provided that the relevant conditions are met. The conditions are set out in an individual agreement between the parties. In exchange for the discount, the investor typically undertakes to carry out an investment of a specified amount or to employ a certain number of workers resident in Sellye.
The town also pursues a strongly investor-friendly tax policy. Whilst the business tax rate is set at the statutory ceiling of 2% per annum, companies operating here are exempt from paying land tax and building tax.
The tourist tax applicable to accommodation providers is also extremely favourable, at 300 forints per day.
Local authority investments
Sellye plays a leading role in the Ős-Dráva Programme, which aims to partially restore the former water conditions of the Ormánság region, prevent floods and flash floods, and expand the potential for irrigated agriculture. This is a complex regional development programme affecting the environmental, economic and social spheres alike, which seeks to create the conditions for long-term sustainable development. Its stated objective is to restore the region’s once-rich natural environment and the landscape management based on it.
The commitment to the use of renewable energy sources is demonstrated by the fact that solar panels have recently been installed on several municipal buildings. Several buildings – including the school and the family and child welfare centre – have also undergone a complete energy-efficiency refurbishment, which has led to a reduction in operating costs.
Making the town greener has been included among the objectives of several projects. Renovated green spaces, playgrounds, outdoor fitness parks and promenades have been built across the town, with further developments in the pipeline.
