Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 4.10.2006

There will be less wine but of high quality

According to inland vine-growers this year’s harvest will bring very good wines. “Sugar content of grapes reaches twenty degrees which corresponds to attributive wines. We have enough people and machinery. We will harvest grapes in shorter time and do not have to go in vineyards untimely. We pick the top variety by hand”, said Alexander Flodr, a director of viticulture Chateau Bzenec. According to a director of Habánské sklepy, Josef Svoboda, to talk about whether this year will be still better than the last year is premature. “Last year was above-average and this year will be the same at least. Very exctractive, full, aromatic wines can be expected”, said Svoboda.

Farmers ask for setting of minimal price of potatoes

According to director of South Moravian Agrarian Chamber (ACH), Jaromír Musil, the state should annually set minimal buy-out prices of potatoes. “Otherwise there is a threat that acreages of potatoes, which are now smaller by sixth than last year, will further decrease”, he reported. In case of bad harvest which will be this year less by third than the last year, farmers have to sell their goods even below the price of production costs due to absence of guaranteed prices. This year potatoes cost in shops even more than 13 crowns, however farmers will see neither a half of the sum, Musil said. Therefore many farmers give up growing potatoes.

Waiting for new hit of bird flu

Veterinarians and sanitarists prepare for a blast of bird flu already today. Especially vets suppose that deadly bird virus H5N1 will again arrive in the Czech Republic. “Of course, we count on it. In summer this disease hit Romania and Hungary. So, it is obvious that when a critical time will coma in the autumn when bird started to migrate again, the virus killing them will get here”, forecasts the spokesman of State Veterinary Association Josef Duben. The virus H5N1 should appear in the Czech Republic again most probably in areas where wild water bird congregate. “However, of course, it is not possible to exclude that it will be different virus or that H5N1 will mutate somehow”, Duben explains.

State enterprise Lesy CR has decided on announcing of tendering procedure

The State enterprise Lesy CR (LCR) decided on Tuesday, the 3rd October on announcing of an open tendering procedure for supplies of growing and mining services for the year 2007. The spokesman of LCR, Tomáš Vyšohlíd, informed on it. “Management of the enterprise will announce the tendering procedure in a standard and transparent way for 2007 when during that year according to law other tendering procedures of middle-term character should be announced. Winners will be known till 31.12.2006. This form was recommended also by a supervisory board of the company Lesy CR”, reported the spokesman.