Summary of newsmakers of the previous day - 15. 02. 2007

Biofoods will get record money from Brussels

People have a chance that they will have an offer of bio-foods comparable with shelves in shops in West Europe. Ecological farmers will get record dotations in history this year; roughly a half a billion dollars. This sum, almost twice higher than last year, is thanks to Brussels guaranteed also in next six years. Consumption of bio-foods in the Czech Republic grows year after year, nevertheless, compared to West Europe it is still in nappies. While for example Germans spend for ecological products in conversion over one thousand yearly; an average Czech does give in them neither forty crowns. “Demand for bio-foods exceeds supply of Czech suppliers” Pavel Klaška, a marketing manager of the network Interspar stated. Therefore it has to, the same as chains Tesco and Billa, import most of ecological foods meanwhile.

Farmers’ production decreased last year but they prosper

The Agricultural Union of CR estimates that Czech farmers earned 7,5 – 8 billion crowns last year, while in 2005 it was 7,6 billion. Obviously, enterprises bettered themselves a bit although their gross agricultural production in fixed prices last year fell to a historical minimum – roughly 66 billion crowns. Apparently, firm in all regions showed a profit. The best results were achieved in Central Bohemia region. Conversely the lowest profit was reported by firms in Olomouc and South Moravian regions. Better economic result in agriculture was realized first of all thanks to dotations, which increased year-on-year about five percent, as well as a more advantageous conversion of cereals.

EP is against massive liquidation of vineyards, it wants to support quality

Today European representatives opposed a proposal for a massive subsidized liquidation of vineyards by which the European Commission wanted to contribute to a principal reform of surplus European market with wine. In the Parliament’s opinion a necessary reform should follow rather a way of support of quality and competitive wines. Therefore according to representatives it is necessary to establish strict rules for marking of wines and for traditional production procedures. Above all due to a still growing import of wine from countries beyond the EU the European market suffers from overproduction. Every year vine-growers produce by about 15 million hectoliters wine more than they are able to sell. Most of these surpluses are first of all wines of less quality which are subsequently distilled in spirit. The Union subsidizes the critical distillation of wine surpluses with tens of million Euros yearly and it promises itself a significant savings just from the reduction of vineyard acreage.

Farmers sown more perennial oil rape due to bio-fuels for this year

According to estimations of the Ministry of Agriculture farmers sown for this year’s harvest 333 000 hectares of perennial oil rape which means a year-on-year increase by 14 percent. According to a chairman of the Agricultural Union Miroslav Jirovský, the acreage of perennial oil rape increased because a wider use is supposed regarding introduction of bio-fuels on the fuel market in the Czech Republic. Conversely, areas of perennial cereals in comparison with results of investigation for the previous harvest have decreased by about 3,7 percent to expected 957 000 hectares.Source: Agris, 16.02.2007