Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 27.3.2006

Southern-Bohemian farmers will start spring works roughly with a month delay

Strong winter and field with snow cover for a long time will shift the start of spring works on fields roughly by a month this year in Southern-Bohemian region. Fertilization, ploughing and sowing used to start usually at the beginning of March. Some growers are also afraid that the delayed start of spring will have a negative impact on yields of perennial crops and it will delay summer harvest as well.

Farmers in Vysočina region produced less beef meat; however, still the most in the CR

Farmers in Vysočina region produced 11 630 tons of beef meat last year which is in comparison with the previous year by 13,4 percent less. In spite of that the region kept the primacy among regions. According to administration of the Czech Statistic Office in Jihlava the beef meat production decreased comparing the last year by 16,3 percent to 81 000 tons in the whole country. Traditionally Vysočina belongs among the regions with the largest cattle breeding.

Aims in bio-fuels are not fulfilled in most states of the EU

According to last information published in Hospodářské noviny the Ministry of Finances refuses to support bio-fuels production by returning of consumption tax. It prefers to give subsidies directly to farmers, growers of cereals or oil-rape for non-food purposes. Fuel producers associated in the Czech Association of Petroleum Industry and Trade (ČAPPO) protest.

The first case of bird flu has been apparently found out in the Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic according to information the first case of bird flu has been found out in a swan. More detailed information to the infection will be announced at a briefing from 10:00 by the Minister of Agriculture Jan Mládek. The disease has already appeared in the whole Europe including the close neighbours of the CR.