Summary of newspapers of the previous day – 1.11. 2011

Agrarian Chamber: Amendment on ecological agriculture is insufficient

An amendment of law on ecological agriculture, approved by the Senate last week and now waiting for the president´s signature, is insufficient. The president of Agrarian Chamber Jan Veleba stated today. In his opinion, the new legal adjustment insufficiently motivates eco-farmers not only to take subsidies but also to produce foods. The entire EU endowment system leads European farmers to a stagnation of production while agrarian production in other continents grows fast, Veleba told. As he stated, of 480 000 hectares managed according to ecological agriculture rules in the Czech Republic, on 380 000 hectares only grass for hay is grown.

Documents about scientists, philosophers and farmers were appreciated at CULS

The rector of Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (CULS) Jiří Balík appreciated documents about scientists, farmers and philosophers at a show Life Sciences Film Festival. On the whole, 132 films from 28 countries were presented at the competitive film festival organized by CULS and a civil association Harvest film; 46 of them participated in the competition itself. Among the appreciated shots there is e.g. a document Stories of successful farmers (Příběhy úspěšných sedláků) in which a jury valued the lifelong fight of Czech private farmers and also a presentation of good agricultural practice.

Tuna of unknown origin caught

The Regional Veterinary Administration for South-Moravian region found out, stopped and did not let go in the market network a delivery of 3 360 kg vacuum-packed tuna from Spain owing to a fundamental defect in marking. Within the veterinary check of the delivery of vacuum-packed tuna by one kilogram in 210 carton boxes, 3 360 kg in total, it was found out that the delivery contained many right data, e.g. about composition, date of expiration, but it was not marked in the fundamental way - an identification mark of producer, neither on particular packages nor on carton boxes. If a product is not mark in such a way, a principle of ability to find the place of origin is substantially affected and such a product is considered as a product of unknown origin. This results from a veterinary legislative, concretely the article 5, par. 1 letter b) Regulation of European Parliament and Council No. 853/2004 and also § 18 par. 1 letter a) of our veterinary law.

Milk price has increased but number of dairy cows has decreased

A buy-out milk price is at average by more than two crowns higher now than in 2009. “Despite this fact it moves on the border of production costs”, a secretary of the Agricultural Union of the CR Martin Pýcha told. The prices are more positive for us now, however, costs of not all breeders are below 8.20 crowns. There are also farmers who are not able to cover their costs”, Pýcha added. According to estimation of the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information costs for production of one litre of milk moves about 8.50 crowns. However, he did not keep back that the weakest breeders, who did not covered the costs, had to end the activity. Problems touched also the region Žďár with a tradition of dairy cattle breeding. The biggest number of dairy cows in the republic is raised in the Region Vysočina; farmers sold milk for six crowns for litre the year before last which was less than how much its production cost.