Summary of newspapers of the previous day – 28. 08. 2008

Harvesters in vineyard? There will be no choice soon

Two years ago vine-growers in Slovácko would maybe laugh at that they should harvest grapes with a harvester. Today they do not laugh at it. Number of harvesters increases and will increase. A traditional vintage as our predecessors did becomes more farther out of reality than it was a habit still recently in the region. From yesterday other harvester works in Bzenec. Vlastimil Bunža buys it. “Still not long ago I have not a little dream of buying something similar. However, machines become necessity for vintage”, Bunža says. More and more often a vine-grower from Bzenec has a problem to get together enough brigade-workers for collection of grapes. With a harvester he needs only two.

European Commission: Green Book on market tools in area of environment

On the 28th of March the Commission adopted the Green Book on market tools in area of environment (KOM(2007)140), which became an official beginning of discussion on a possible implementation of market tools in policies connected with the environment. In June 2007 the Council expressed its opinion to the Book; in April than the European Parliament presented its point of view. A key tools discussed in the Green Book are first of all indirect taxes, payments, subsidies, and emission permits.

Fifth of farmers are in danger of endowments reduction

As much as fifth of agricultural enterprises don´t still fulfill a collection of legal requirements and standards for which they will be not only penalized from the beginning of next year but also their subsidies from the EU will be reduced. A director of counseling company AgroConsultBohemia Mojmír Severin drew attention to it. Recently Petr Gandalovič, the Minister of Agriculture, compared so called cross checks (crosscompliance) of farmers, which will start next year, to a points system of drivers.

Government will negotiated on finances for old ecological damages

The government will negotiate on spending finances for removal of old ecological damages today. The Ministry of Finances wants the government to gross up guarantees for removal of old ecological damages in premises of the company Paramo by almost 966 million crowns. Total guarantee should increase to 1,9 billion crowns. The Ministry also requires together hundreds of millions for sanitation of the premises of a former ČKD Elektrotechnika and dump in Planá near České Budějovice.