Summary of newspapers of the previous day – 23. 2. 2011

Border of 1 million hectares of agricultural land broken for the first time

In 2010 in Germany, more than 1 million hectares of land had been organically farmed for the first time; the acreage of areas increased in year-on-year comparison by 5.7 %. Last year in Germany, exactly 1 001 200 hectares of agricultural land were organically managed. It resulted from actual data of the Organic Food Industry Union (BÖLW) which is covering union of German bio-sector published on the occasion of a balance press conference organized within framework of BioFach 2011.

German dioxins damage Czech eco-farmers; there is danger of liquidation of farms

A world turned inside out. In such a way Czech eco-farmers evaluate consequences of so called dioxin affair in Germany. Owing to January findings of carcinogenic substances in pig meat from German farms the customer interest in Czech pig meat with a mark bio has not increased. The dioxin affair had a completely opposite effect on Czech market: “bio-farmers” instead of profit fight for survival owing to dioxins. “The Germany stopped to buy pig meat produced conventionally and switched to domestic eco-production. Owing to enormous demand the local breeders purchased out all bio-cereals in the Czech Republic which is a base of feeding in organic farms”, Josef Sklenář, an owner of bio-farm Sasov described to LN.

Over three and half thousand of eco-farmers are already in Czech Republic

A number of organic farmers has significantly increased over the year 2010. At the and of 2010, already 3 517 already farmed on the total acreage of almost 450 thousand hectares which represents a share of more than 10,55 % of the total acreage of agricultural land. In 2004, the government of the Czech Republic adopted the Action Plan for Development of Organic Farming by the year 2010 end. Its main aim was to achieve ten-percent share of organic farming by the year 2010 end. The actual statistic data to the December 31, 2010 show that this aim has been met.

Committee recommended approving proposal for sale of land to EU citizens

The Parliamentary budget committee recommended representatives approving a government amendment of exchange law which will enable citizens of the European Union to buy legally and directly agricultural land in private property in the Czech Republic. The ban of its sale was negotiated by the Czech Republic within the accession into the EU; the exception ends this year in May, seven year from the accession into the Union. Now, according to the law, EU citizen must not buy agricultural land, however, ten of thousands of hectares are owned by foreign firms which have a seat in the Czech Republic. The neighbouring states in contrast to the CR have asked Brussels for prolongation of the exception.