Summary of newspapers of the previous day – 17.7.2006

Union: More expensive rock oil increased farmers’ costs by hundreds of millions over half-year

More expensive rock oil increased farmers’ costs in this year’s first half year according to calculations almost by 400 million crowns. In the first six months it was sold in average for 24,3 crowns after deduction of VAT which was in comparison with the last year by 2,3 crowns more. Agriculture consumes yearly more than 500 millions liters of rock oil, from it about 170 million liters in the first half-year. It results from data which ČTK was given by Agricultural Union. Rise in price of rock oil in the second half-year will have even more significant impacts because due to harvests and fall works consumption of rock oil is bigger, roughly two-third of the total yearly consumption in agriculture.

Mina birds take fruit-growers millions crowns

By ministries of environment and agriculture imposed mina bird protection causes losses of tens of millions crowns to Czech fruit-growers. Growers of sour cherries, cherries and currant can not, according to their words, shoo effectively. Permitted methods are sound shooing and birds of prey. “Mina bird is clever, he gets used to sound protection during five days and use of birds of prey is very limited in our landscape full of high-voltage transmission lines”, the chairman of Fruits-growers Union of the CR Jaroslav Muška claims. A system protection could be a possibility to shoot in the flock of mina birds sometimes, however, the law does not enable it, at least not sufficiently lively.

Areas of GMO corn enlarged to 1070 ha this year in the CR

According to the Ministry of Agriculture the Czech Republic ranges in acreage of genetically modified corn on the fifth place in the EU. Areas of genetically modified corn increased this year in the CR to 1070 hectares in comparison with the last year’s 270 hectares. Earlier estimations supposed a higher increase of areas, as much as tenfold of last year’s acreage. The Ministry of agriculture estimates GMO corn areas meanwhile to 1000 – 1500 ha. According to Greenpeace a genetically modified variety represents on July 4 about 0,4 percent from the total acreage of corn grown this year in the CR for green mass, for silage and grain. Genetically modified corn is on fields of 57 agricultural businesses and private farmers. Acreages move from ten acres to tens of hectares. Domestic farmers could try genetically modified corn for the first time last year. Over 50 growers used the opportunity.

Indonesia caught up Vietnam in numbers of death of bird flu

Till this time Vietnam has been a leader in the unflattering table of mortality. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) proved that three-year old boy who died recently in Indonesia had the dangerous disease. The number of Indonesian victims climbed up to 45, so at the same level as in Vietnam. According to Indonesian Ministry of Health still increasing number of deaths is caused by bad awareness of inhabitants of bird flu. “23 millions people live in Indonesia on 17 000 islands and some of them are not interested in learning something”, one of ministerial officers told to AP agency. “Moreover, the level of education is very low”, he added.

Source: Agris, 18.7.2006