Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 30.5.2008

Support of protest action in Germany

Protest actions of German dairy-cow breeders against decreasing prices of milk had participants not only representatives of Czech farmers but also two vice-chairmen of the Agricultural Union of the Czech Republic – Zdeněk Houška and Ing. František Trnka. The problem of decreasing prices of milk is common for all European farmers; it endangers their existence. In the Czech Republic, too. Input prices over the 1st quarter of 2008 in comparison with the 1st quarter of 2007 increased to 114,2 %, the most for energy and feeds. By this protest farmers want to draw people’s attention to practices of trade chains which by their procedures permanently increase their share (margin) in a final price of food and strongly limit a value of agricultural raw materials (presently already only 10 – 35 % of price of foods.

CSO: Price of carrot and Edam cheese increased in the 22nd week; paprika decreases in price

A trend from the last week in form of increasing price of carrot continued in shops also this week. Further Edam brick and potatoes raised in price the most. After some time, paprika decreased in price as well as prices of tomatoes and mineral water. It results from regular investigations of consumers prices of selected foods which were published by the Czech Statistic Office (CSO) today. One kilogram of carrot was sold in average for 23,51 crowns; it is in comparison with the last week an increase by 1,86 crowns. Edam brick was more expensive by 6,87 crowns and was sold for 135,96 crowns per kilogram. Also potatoes raised in price; their price was in average 11,05 crowns per kilogram which is by 31 hallers more than last week.

A new chief of directorship of Zetor is Heimschild from HTC

A new chairman of the firm Zetor is Ivan Heimschild from HTC Holding, a main owner of machine-work. He replaced in the function Pavol Hubočan who left the head of company this year. Also other two members of home company Zetor directorship changed – René Zgažar and Miroslav Drahoš replaced Dana Haľamová and Richard Kruksa. CTK found it out from a Collection of papers. Zetor, a.s. is a mother of other ten companies of the group, including a manufacturing concern Zetor Tractors. The whole enterprise earned more than 5,6 billion crowns last year and reached a profit about 240 million crowns.

There is over-supply of milk; its prices decrease

After milk drought and growth of prices farmers and producers start to battle with completely opposite problem. There is over-supply of milk and prices aim downward. For consumers it is plus because after they waited to see decrease of butter and Edam cheese also decrease in price of milk will come. Meanwhile, however, shops do not hurry up too much. The price which dairy-works pay to farmers goes gradually down from this year’s beginning. For example south-Bohemian Madeta paid 10,30 crowns for a liter to farmers in January and in April already 9,20 crowns. Generally the decrease in prices is a bit smaller and farmers earned in average 9,7 crowns for a liter in April. Producers agreed on that the decrease does