Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 13.11. 2006

Summaryof newsmakers of the previous day – 13.11. 2006

Union imposed fines for sugar reserves

The European Commission imposed fines to Slovakia and other four states (Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Malta) for excessive sugar reserves. Slovaks will have to pay in total 4.21 million Euros, so almost 120 million crowns. “Measures which should prevent creation of exceeding reserves are a common practice of every European Union enlargement”, said Euro-commissioner Mariann Fisher-Boel. According to her Brussels’ duty is to keep rules which should prevent from accumulation of products for speculative purposes.

Vine-growers: Future is in more expensive wine

Moravian and Czech vine-growers after last year’s experience, when wine from export invaded inland shops, got to know that they do not make do with wines in hypermarkets. Therefore even the biggest turn round the helm and create new marks for their wines of better quality to survive in the strong competition. “Table wine is not possible to be produced from Moravian grapes; it is expensive”, the co-owner of Réva Rakvice, Zden˙k Šilinek, explains and adds that it rather pays off to import Italian grapes. Also numbers over the whole business show evidence of resignation of local vine-growers to produce table wines in cartons from own resources which still belongs in big shops to the best selling.

Ecologist wants to plant out milliard of trees

Do you want also to help and fight against global warming? Now you can. It is enough to plant out several trees, for example in your garden. A laureat of the Nobel Peace Prize from 2004 Wangari Maathai decided individually to fight against global warming. She started a campaign thanks to it she wants to plant out milliard of trees in one year with the aid of inhabitants of the whole planet. To manage to plant out milliard trees in a year means to plant out one tree in every 32 seconds.

Numbers about ecological agriculture and bio-foods in CR

Ecological agriculture is again increasing after last year’s fall. Acreage of ecologically managed agricultural land has grown to 275 000 ha which is in comparison with the last year an increase by 8 %. A number of eco-farms has increased from last year’ s 829 to 912. Ecological agriculture represents c. 6.5 % of agricultural land which is in frame of the EU an above-average share. In eco-agriculture meadows and pastures prevail with acreage of 226 000 hectares. In comparison with the last year acreage of arable land has increased to 23 162 hectares. The rest are permanent cultures (e.g. orchards) and other areas.