Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 19.9.2006

ZS: Gross agricultural production will be at historical minimum this year

Větrný Jeníkov – According to estimations of the Agricultural Union CR gross agricultural production (GAP) in fix prices in the Czech Republic will fall at a historical minimum – about 66 billion crowns; last year it was by 7,6 billion more. According to Miroslav Jirovský, the chairman of Union the problem is the especially fast decrease of agricultural production. He told it at a session in Větrný Jeníkov in Jihlava region today. The CR belonged to the most developed European countries in 30’s; in 1989 GAP was 109 billion crowns and at time of CR rise (1993) it reached 83 billion. He summarized that the agricultural dimension decreases further after the accession in the EU.

State offers subventions for support of renewable energy resources

Individuals, municipalities and other institutions can ask for a financial support in building of solar systems for water heating and heating the State Environment Fund since this week. The state will contribute also to boilers burning biomass and to heat pumps. Opening of programs supporting use of renewable energy resources was decided on by the Minister of Environment, Petr Kalaš. Renewable resources belong among his priorities. “They save Earth climate, increase safety of energy supply, decrease dependence on fuels import, use agricultural land lying dormant, and last but not least they create new jobs. These are the reasons why I assume that the state should support their development with various tools”, said Kalaš to the importance of renewable energy resources in a press report.

Bad quality of this year’s cereals increases prices on commodity exchange

Prices of most commodities tradeable increase on commodity exchange in Brno in last two weeks, above all in the most widespread wheat and barley. This year’s harvest of cereals has brought considerable differences in quality of particular kinds and demand for quality cereals increases prices, said Karel Zezula, the General Exchange Secretary to the ČTK. Prices have increased in all cereals, however, the most in wheat and barley. Price of food wheat has risen by 282 crowns per a ton; in feeding wheat by 87 crowns per a ton, Zezula added. Due to better purchase prices a part of farmers considers sale of harvest abroad, above all in Poland where they harvested less cereals than usually this year.

Ban of hen breeding in small conventional cages is endangered

According to the EU regulation from 1999 hen breeding – laying hen breeding in small conventional cages is about to be banned since 2012 and replaced by a breeding in larger cages, enriched – advanced. This decision is now threatened. The regulation requires so that this ban was revised before coming in force. A revision takes place now. Many eggs producers lob them to postpone the ban by many years. The International Organization for Protection of Farm Animals (Compassion in World Farming – CIWF) and European Coalition for Farm Animals (ECFA) ask the Council of Ministers not to postpone the ban. Jaromíra Horáková from the Society for Animals informed on it.

Source: Agris, 20.09.2006