Summary of newsmakers of the previous day - 19. 02. 2007

Czech BIO at BioFach 2007

Czech producers of bio-foods and bio-products presented themselves in a common national exposition on the biggest world fair of ecological agriculture (EA) and bio-foods – BioFach in German Norimberk (15.-18.2.). The Czech stand was visited also by Mariann Fisher Boel – the European commissioner for agriculture and rural development who spoke at BioFach ceremonial opening about a newly prepared European Regulation for EA, its important points, and she mentioned also problems of marking of bio-products and bio-foods in frame of EU

Hypermarkets Interspar will sell Austrian meat in the Czech Republic

Hypermarkets Interspar will start to sell meat from Austrian suppliers from March in the Czech Republic. In a short time Interspar will have already been the second trade chain which reduced an offer of Czech meat in inland shops. Since the last year’s autumn the company Ahold have sold meat in the Czech Republic under its own mark AH Quality which North.Irland company Hilton produces in Poland. According to Agrarian Chamber a significant part of meat is imported in Czech shops also by the trade chain Tesco. Farmers claim that it causes them billion losses.

Two of the most ecological burden in South Bohemia will start to be liquidated

After six years when the region promotes a necessity to solve old ecological burden on the region area a negotiation with a new Minister Finances Miroslav Kalousek took place to close contracts with suppliers of sanitary works which arose from selective proceedings. “It is dealt with localities of South-Bohemian gasworks and D˙eva˙ské závody Sob˙slav (woodworking plant). For the South-Bohemian region it is a good news because it is dealt with many times postponed biggest works for hundreds of million crowns which were released for this purpose by the Ministry of Finances”, said Ji˙í Netín, the regional councilman for area of environment, agriculture, water and forest management.

European Parliament refused again shortening of payments in agriculture

The European Parliament refused again a proposal of the European Commission for voluntary distinguishing of direct payments in agriculture, which Euro-representatives did not pass already in November last year. The Parliament called again on the European Commission to take back the proposed new rules. The Commissions suggested that the EU member states could shorten all direct payments as much as by 20 %. An exception should be small receivers who will receive in direct payments less than 5000 Euro early. Most representatives see “re-nationalization” of the Common Agricultural Policy” (CAP) in it.

Source: Agris, 20.02.2007