Summary of newspapers of the previous days - 18.6. – 20.6.2010

CSO: Price of oranges raised, potatoes cheapened in last two weeks

The most significant rice in price in last two weeks was recorded in oranges. According to a regular investigation of the Czech Statistic Office, oranges were at average almost by ten percents more expensive in half of June than at the beginning of the month. Price of bananas and fresh butter raised almost by six percents. Vice versa, price of potatoes decreased almost by eight percents after foregoing significant growth. Oranges were sold in inland shops at average for 31.03 CZK per kilogram at this week´s beginning while at the beginning of July customers paid for them almost by three crowns less.

Wheat strengthened owing to humidity

Wheat price recorded growth after fifth during six trade séances. It is connected with humid weather in Canada, which is the second biggest world exporter of this cereal. It is possible that Canadian farmers, thanks to infavourable weather, will reduce sowing at the lowest level over the last 4 decades. This year, farmers can sow 19.15 million acres of wheat. It is the lowest value since 1971 and at the same time by 18 % lower number than last year. Similarly as wheat also corn and soya beans strengthen.

Bees are weak and amount of honey is small, bee-keepers profess

Few new bees and small amount of honey. These are the most frequents complaints of bee-keepers. They also experience consequences of bad weather and unusually cold spring. “Bees are dependent on the nature and it is dependent on the weather. In so cold weather and rainy spring like this year the amount of resources is low. Bees are hungry; their productivity decreases to a minimum. If they have no honey reserves, the development of colony of bees can completely stop”, a large-scale bee-keeper Miroslav Urban from Velká Lhota near Valašské Meziříčí outlined the heart of problem.

Cage laying hen raisings dominate also from now on

In 2009, 345.51 mil. laying hens were raised in the EU, 71 % of them in cages till now. The EU Commission submitted a detailed data about a number of laying hens in particular types of raisings over the last year in EU member states. In total, 345,51 mil. laying hens were registered. Data from the year 2009 are not still complete, in spite of that they document the fact that the cage stabling in laying hen raising still clearly dominates in the EU, even if in comparison with the year 2008its share decreased from 74.4 to 71 %. The EU Commission investigates also a share of enriched cages; however, in this respect it obtained information only from some countries.