Agriculture - 3rd quarter of 2011

Meat production in the 3 ^rd quarter of 2011 amounted to 125 673 tonnes; it decreased by 4.9%, year-on-year. The drop consisted of a decrease in poultry (by 8.8%) and in pig meat (by 3.4%), while beef production remained almost unchanged (decreased by 0.1%). Milk delivery amounted to 596.7 million litres; it grew by 4.6%, y-o-y. An increase of agricultural producer prices of milk continued. The average price was CZK 8.30 per litre; it was by 11.6% higher than in the previous year.
Slaughtering and meat production

In the 3 ^rd quarter of 2011, the number of cattle for slaughter counted for 60 110 heads; their average carcass weight was 288.4 kg. Changes related to the same period of the previous year were negligible: the increase by 0.2% in numbers, the decrease by 0.3% in the average carcass weight. Total beef and veal production amounted to 17 339 tonnes, i.e. decreased by 0.1%.
The number of pigs for slaughter went down by 3.4% to 728 016 heads. Sow´s slaughtering fell by 21.5%; this fact demonstrates the culling rate in sows has decreased. The average carcass weight did not change, it was 87.8 kg. Total pig meat production amounted to 63 941 tonnes (by 3.4% lower, y-o-y).
Total poultry production amounted to 44 330 tonnes in the observed period; it decreased by 8.8%.

Results of cattle and pig breeding

As at June 30 ^th 2011, in total 1 379.6 thousand heads of cattle, of which 561.0 thousand cows were kept in the Czech Republic. Despite the fact, that number of cattle almost did not change (an increase by 0.2%), the number of dairy cows decreased by 1.2% (to 375.8 thousand heads) and, on the contrary, the number of suckler ones increased by 10.1% (to 185.1 thousand heads).
As at August 1 ^st 2011, the number of pigs went down to 1 658.0 thousand heads (by 14.9% y-o-y). The number of sows declined to 103.5 thousand heads (by 20.4% y-o-y).

Agricultural producer prices in cattle, pigs, and chicken for slaughter

In the 3 ^rd quarter, agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter went up in all categories: in calves by 8.4%, in cows by 5.9%, in bulls by 4.2%, and in heifers by 3.8%. The average price of bulls for slaughter in S, E and U quality classes was CZK 77.41 per kg of carcass weight or CZK 41.37 per kg of live weight.

Agricultural producer prices in pigs for slaughter were higher only by 0.9%, y-o-y. The average price of pigs for slaughter in S, E and U quality classes was CZK 37.94 per kg of carcass weight or CZK 29.44 per kg of live weight.

Agricultural producer prices of chicken for slaughter were higher by 10.1% related to the 3 ^rd quarter of 2010. The average price for slaughter in 1 ^st-quality class was CZK 22.50 per kg of live weight.

External trade in live animals and meat

According to preliminary results, external trade ¹⁾ in live animals in the period of June to August 2011 reached a positive balance in cattle (10 748 tonnes) and poultry (9 274 tonnes), and a negative balance in pigs (1 003 tonnes).

Decrease of import of live cattle continued; it dropped to 104 tonnes (by 33.2% y-o-y), while export reached 10 852 tonnes (an increase by 1.3%). Animals for slaughter counted for 98% of the total import and 61% of the total export. Live cattle was imported predominantly from Slovakia (98%) and exported mainly to Austria (51%) and Croatia (10%).
Import of live pigs went down to 5 271 tonnes in total (by 16.7%) and export reached 4 267 tonnes (an increase by 8.0%). Animals for slaughter counted for 47% of the import and 89% of the total export. Live pigs were imported mainly from Denmark (42%), Germany (26%), and Netherlands (21%); export went to Slovakia (45%) and Hungary (43%).
Import of live poultry decrease y-o-y by 38.9% to 1 119 tonnes, export increase by 9.3% to 10 392 tonnes. Chicken for slaughter counted for 79% in import and 70% in export. Most of live poultry was imported from Slovakia (81%) and Germany (16%); it was exported to Germany (39%), Slovakia (29%), and Poland (27%).

External trade ¹⁾ in meat was negatively balanced, the deficit amounted to 4 447 tonnes in beef, 46 264 tonnes in pig meat, and 14 844 tonnes in poultry.

Import of beef increased to 6 334 tonnes (by 10.6% y-o-y) and export to 1 887 tonnes (by 63.0%). It was imported mainly from Poland (31%), Germany (20%), Austria (15%), and Ireland (12%); export went to Slovakia (37%), Germany (27%), Poland (13%), and Austria (10%).
Import of pig meat reached 55 781 tonnes (by 13.0% higher than in the same period of the last year) and export 9 517 tonnes (by 9.1% higher). Majority of pig meat was imported from Germany (51%) and exported to Slovakia (84%). Share of other countries on import or export was less than 10% for each one.
Import of poultry increased by 19.2% to 20 871 tonnes, while export fell off by the same proportion (by 19.2%) on 6 027 tonnes. Import came from Poland (43%) and Brazil (20%); exports went to Slovakia (50%) and Netherlands (22%).



Milk collection and agricultural producer prices in milk

In the 3 ^rd quarter of 2011, milk delivery to dairies amounted to 596 693 thousand litres; it was by 4.6% higher than in the same period of the previous year.
Agricultural producer prices of Q-quality milk went up by 11.6%. Its average price was CZK 8.30 per litre.

External trade in milk and milk products

External trade ¹⁾ in milk and milk products in the period of June to August 2011 showed a positive balance 147 921 tonnes; 66 331 tonnes were imported (an increase by 11.6% y-o-y) and 214 252 tonnes milk and milk products were exported (by 8.6% more y-o-y).
External trade ¹⁾ in acidified milk products showed a positive balance (6 987 tonnes), and a negative one in cheese and curd (13 355 tonnes), and butter (3 566 tonnes). Both, import and export increased in acidified milk products (by 7.7 and 5.4%, respectively) as well as in cheese and curd (import by 15.9%, export by 22.1%). Import of butter rose (by 21.2%), whereas export dropped (by 29.1%). Long-term partners for import of milk and milk products were Germany (38%), Slovakia (24%), and Poland (23%), for export Germany (59%) and Poland (13%).

Text not edited for language.

¹⁾ Intrastat does not include individual trading operations carried out by persons who are not registered for VAT as well as reporting units below the applicable thresholds of CZK 8 million a year for both flows are not under reporting duty for Intrastat.

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Notes:
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, phone 27405 2331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@csu.gov.cz
Source: Livestock Slaughtering (Czech Statistical Office), Results of Cattle Breeding (Czech Statistical Office), Results of Pig Breeding (Czech Statistical Office), Agricultural Producer Price Indices (Czech Statistical Office), External Trade Database (Czech Statistical Office), data on milk collection and poultry purchase (Ministry of Agriculture)
Date of completing data collection: October 10 ^th , 2011
Date of completing data processing: October 27 ^th , 2011
Published data are final, except external trade data.
Following tables:
http://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/porazky-hospodarskych-zvirat-prosinec-2011-lh124opyoy
http://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vysledky-chovu-skotu-2-pololeti-2011-u2uib3ezxt
http://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vysledky-chovu-prasat-k-31122011-vlbpxyu6g7
http://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/indexy-cen-zemedelskych-vyrobcu-2011-z9d75a31v3 , in Czech
Next News Releases: 30 January 2012