Summary of newspapers of the previous days – 15. – 17. 5. 2009

Sugar looses in London

Sugar traded on London Change will end this week in negative numbers after the price emended in last days from 33-month maximum recorded on the 12th of May. The sugar an other commodities price decreases also owing to last data about a economy development in EU countries in the first quarter of this year; GDP of many member states fell down more than it was expected. The decline is caused also by drawing of profits after a foregoing intensive growth.

Farmers in the south of Bohemia reduce numbers of pigs, poultry and cattle

Pigs, poultry and slightly also cattle disappear from breeding in the south of Bohemia. It results from a farm animal list to the 1st April published by the Czech Statistic Office. In the last year the most significant reduction was in pig for fattening, by more than fifth. Farmers in the regions take care of 238 000 pigs now which is by 65 000 pieces less against last year. The reduction or even cancellation of breedings is caused by long-term long buy-out prices of pig meat and from it resulting losses in business. Even in 2002 there was an opposite situation in South Bohemia. Enterprises kept 400 000 pigs, however, since that time numbers have decreased every year. In the branch it is been spoken about a sale crisis for a longer time. A fall in pig numbers is announced by all districts except the Moravian-Silesian one. The biggest fall is registered in the Region Zlín where the number of pigs is almost by a half smaller than last year. 1,97 million pigs were kept in the whole country at the beginning of April, year-on-year it was by 19 percents less.

More than 5000 cases of bluetongue

An occurrence of 5112 cases of bluetongue disease were registered last year in Germany which represents in comparison with 2007 a fall by more than 75 % (20 623 cases). Mainly numbers of cattle were afflicted with this disease with occurrence of 4779 cases. In 2007 also sheep raisings suffered from bluetongue. In these herds only 287 cases were recorded in 2008 in total while in 2008 it was 7530 cases. This kind of infection reached its top in September 2008 when an occurrence of 932 cases of ruminant diseases was registered. However, to the end of the year there was a significant fall of occurrence of the infection. In December only 301 new cases were announced. In January this year it was only 14 cases, of it in 13 cases it was dealt with cattle infection and in one case a wild animal was infected. The biggest concentration of new cases was reported from the federative country Schleswig-Holstein.

Presidency wants to negotiate UNO strategy for sustainable development of agriculture by 2017

At the 17th meeting of Commission of UNO for sustainable development (CSD-17), the Czech Republic as a presidential country presents on behalf of 27 member states of the European Union whose position it coordinates at the same time. The presidency set as targets to finish the meeting by adoption of a final political document and to implement it then in sustainable and together connected aims in agriculture, agriculture development, a question of draught desertification of Africa, and other topics. If the document is successfully negotiated, it will represent a vision of agriculture and its sustainability in UNO frame by 2017.