Summary of newspapers of the previous day – 26.6.2006

EC suggested reform of wine market

European Commission suggested a radical reform of European market with wine which faces decreasing sale and intensely growing competition of producers from the USA, South Africa, Austria and New Zealand. Restoration to health of the sector from endowed surpluses should be made by a voluntary liquidation of 400 thousands from present 3,4 million hectares of vineyards. Compensations as much as 2,4 milliard Euros (68 millirad CZK) should help weaker producers to leave the business line, the same as in case of reform of sugar market) in next five years after the start of reform. “Yearly we spend a half milliard Euros for distillation of wine surpluses – it is the most expensive way of spirit production at all, waste of money of European payers”, said a commissioner for agriculture Mariann Fisher-Böl. The commissioner approved 131 million Euro this month for this form of help for French and Italian vine growers.

Pecina: Energetic proposal of Greens will endanger market

The energetic program of the Green party which plans to forbid building of nuclear reactors and enlargement of coal mining imposes the Czech Republic to sanctions. A chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚoHS), Martin Pecina, said it today. A vice-chairman of the Green party, Dana Kuchtová, refused it and added that her party does not endanger in any case the market environment. According to Pecina the company ČEZ has started to organize a reconstruction of coal power station. If it had to interrupt it on base of the energetic program of the Green party, it would expose itself to sanction from the ÚOHS side and maybe also the European Union.

Prague declaration

The European conference Information Systems in Agriculture and Forestry which took place on the 15 th-17th May in Prague, in context of proposed policy for information development of European countryside (eRural Policy for Europe) recorded that the present Strategy for Rural Development in frame of the EU for period 2007-2013 represents a great opportunity for forming of knowledge society in the countryside. Since Valencia declaration in 2003 several initiatives have reported a considerable progress in covering services in rural regions which have not been accessible outside town economies till this time, especially concerning the infrastructure of information and communication technologies (ICT) and services based on knowledge.

Agrofert and farmers are interested in cooperation in slaughter animals

The biggest Czech agricultural group Agrofert agreed today with breeders of slaughter animals on interest in a long-term cooperation. A meeting in Kostelec near Jihlava reacted to the present lack of meat in the Czech Republic which could be even increased by a high demand from Germany. However, according to the Agrarian Chamber export of animals is not farmers’ priority. It is said that the highest interest in import of pigs was showed by the second biggest German producer. “Our philosophy is to apply maximum of our raw materials in domestic processors”, Jan Veleba, the president of Agrarian Chamber said to journalists. According to him today’s negotiation started a communication without a mutual imputation.

Source: Agris, 27.06.2006