Agriculture - 4th quarter and year 2018

In 2018 the meat production in the Czech Republic amounted to 447 010 tonnes (+2.1%). Pigmeat production remained the same as in 2017 (210 910 tonnes; 0.0%) while production of beef and poultrymeat slightly rose: to 71 579 tonnes (+5.7%) for beef and 164 261 tonnes (+3.4%) for poultrymeat. Agricultural producer prices of animals for slaughter were almost the same, y-o-y, for cattle (+0.2%) and chicken (−0.9%) but prices of pigs for slaughter were deeply below those in 2017 (−16.1%). The growing trend of milk collection persisted (+1.8%); the collection reached 2 953.3 mil. litres. Agricultural producer prices of milk were by 2.1% higher, y-o-y, and reached on average 8.62 CZK per litre.

Slaughtering and meat production
In Q4 2018 there were 65.9 thous. head of cattle slaughtered in abattoirs, i.e. by 8.6% more, y-o-y; of which 27.1 thous. head were bulls (+10.5%), 28.7 thous. head were cows (+7.9%) and 7.5 thous. head were heifers (+5.8%). Production of beef amounted to 19 834 tonnes (+9.1%).
Slaughtering of pigs in Q4 2018 (605.8 thous. head) changed their trend and increased by 1.0%, y-o-y. Pigmeat production reached 55 062 tonnes (+0.6%). Pigs were slaughtered in average live weight by 0.5 kg lower than in Q4 2017.
Poultrymeat production in Q4 2018 slightly grew, y-o-y, to 42 348 tonnes (+3.0%).

Agricultural producer prices of cattle, pigs and chicken for slaughter
Agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter in Q4 2018 were slightly lower, y-o-y (−3.9%): in calves for slaughter (−5.8%) the most and in bulls for slaughter (−3.0%) the fewest. The average price of bulls for slaughter was 46.20 CZK per kg in live weight or 84.08 CZK per kg in slaughter weight; i.e. by 2.14 CZK per kg in slaughter weight less than in Q3 2018.
The prices of pigs for slaughter in Q4 2018 remained deeply below the level of those of Q4 2017 (−12.3%) and they reached on average 27.20 CZK per kg in live weight or 35.36 CZK per kg in slaughter weight. In comparison to Q3 2018, their average price in slaughter weight decreased by 0.42 CZK per kg.
The prices of chicken for slaughter slightly rose, y-o-y (+1.2%). The producers sold chicken for slaughter of the first quality class on average for 23.20 CZK per kg in live weight.

Milk collection and agricultural producer prices of milk
In Q4 2018, 709 817 thous. litres of milk (0.0%) were collected from domestic producers, of which 607 813 thous. litres (−0.5%) by dairies.
Agricultural producer prices of milk were by 4.0% lower, y-o-y. The producers sold Q-quality milk on average for 8.75 CZK per litre, i.e. by 0.52 CZK per litre more than in Q3 2018.

The year 2018 – Production, agricultural producer prices, and external trade
Cattle and beef
In total 236.6 thous. head of cattle (+4.0%) were slaughtered in abattoirs in 2018 and the beef production reached 71 579 tonnes (+5.7%). Increased beef production resulted from higher number of bulls for fattening in 2017 together with slightly increased culling of cows in 2018. Increased average weight of slaughtered animals (especially of bulls: by 10 kg per head) contributed to this situation as well.
Producer prices of cattle for slaughter in 2018 almost did not change, y-o-y (+0.2%). The prices of bulls for slaughter were by 0.3% lower, similarly to those of heifers for slaughter (−0.4%) while cows for slaughter were sold for a price by 1.2% higher. The average price of bulls for slaughter was 47.36 CZK per kg of live weight or 86.19 CZK per kg of slaughter weight. The prices did not change much during the course of the year; the difference between the maximal price (in March) and the minimal one (in December) was 3.8 CZK per kg of slaughter weight due to distinct decline in Q4 2018.
According to preliminary results of external trade^[1]) in live cattle in the period from December 2017 to November 2018, the turnover of external trade expressed in numbers went up but expressed in financial units it went down. The reasons for such situation were increased trade in young age categories together with decreased prices of exported animals for breeding. Imports of live cattle (5.1 thous. head) remained stably negligible compared to their exports (239.1 thous. head). Animals for further rearing prevailed in exports (149.2 thous. head), especially calves and young cattle; their exports rose, y-o-y, to 70.1 thous. calves (+4.1%) and 62.9 thous. head of young cattle (+49.6%). Calves were exported to Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands; young cattle went to Turkey, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia. In total 77.5 thous. head of cattle for slaughter (+5.7%) were exported; this amount represents 27 045 tonnes of beef, i.e. more than one third of yearly beef production in the Czech Republic. Animals for slaughter were exported mainly to Austria and Germany.
Imports of beef slightly increased to 37 987 tonnes (+1.8%) and its exports rose to 11 500 tonnes (+13.8%). Imported beef came mostly from Poland, the Netherlands and Germany; exports were directed mainly to Slovakia but also to the Netherlands and to Poland.
The surplus in the trade¹⁾ in live cattle intended for slaughter (+26 125 tonnes in slaughter weight) was almost equal to the deficit in the trade in beef (−26 487 tonnes).

Pigs and pigmeat
In 2018, the number of pigs slaughtered in the Czech Republic was 2 309.7 thous. head (−1.2%) and the pigmeat production reached 210 910 tonnes (0.0%). Lower number of slaughtered pigs in combination with their increased average weight (on average by 1.5 kg per head) resulted in year-on-year unchanged meat production.
Prices of pigs for slaughter during 2018 were deeply below the level of those of 2017 (−16.1%). The farmers sold fattened pigs for on average 27.27 CZK per kg of live weight or for 35.45 CZK per kg of slaughter weight. The highest price was recorded in January (36.88 CZK per kg of slaughter weight) and the lowest in June (34.52 CZK per kg).
The external trade¹⁾ in live pigs showed considerable changes, which led to a distinct increase of its active balance. Strong decrease of imports and increase of exports were noticed in both important categories, i.e. piglets and pigs for slaughter. The trade in piglets amounted to 159.2 thous head (−21.6%) of imported and 136.9 thous. head (+74.2%) of exported animals; their average weight was 26.3 kg in both trade directions. Piglets were imported solely from Germany and Denmark. Their exports were directed to Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Germany. Almost none pigs for slaughter were imported; on the contrary, their exports rose to 291.1 thous. head and 34 463 tonnes in live weight (+28.2%); this amount equals approximately to two months‘ pigmeat production in the Czech Republic. Pigs for slaughter were exported to Slovakia, Hungary and Germany.
The negative balance in the trade¹⁾ in pigmeat deepened, y-o-y, mainly because of considerably declined exports and slightly higher imports. In total 273 839 tonnes (+3.7%) were imported mostly from Germany, Spain and also Poland; on the contrary, only 27 533 tonnes (−18.5%) were exported, prevailingly to Slovakia.
Net exports of pigmeat as live animals for slaughter equalled approximately to one tenth of net imports of pigmeat.

Poultry and poultrymeat
Poultrymeat production in 2018 accounted for 164 261 tonnes, i.e. by 3.4% more than in 2017.
The average agricultural producer price of chicken for slaughter in 2018 was only slightly lower (−0.9%) than in 2017. During the whole year it oscillated with small deviations around the average accounting for 23.03 CZK per kg in live weight. The minimum was recorded in September (22.22 CZK per kg) and the maximum right in October (23.97 CZK per kg).
The surplus in external trade¹⁾ in day-old chicks distinctly rose, y-o-y, due to declined imports (−6.0 million head) and higher exports (+13.0 million head). Exports of day-old broilers accounted for 93.1 million head (mainly to Slovakia, Romania and Poland) and those of female chicks of laying type to 9.0 million head (prevailingly to Poland, Romania and Bulgaria). The trade in live chicken and culled hens intended for slaughter distinctly decreased for both imports (−30.0%) and exports (−20.2%); therefore, the surplus went down to 21 209 tonnes. Exports of those poultry categories went to Slovakia, Poland and Germany. Imports came from Slovakia.
The year-on-year deficit in the trade¹⁾ in poultrymeat was caused by higher imports and lower exports. During the observed period, in total 117 146 tonnes (+8.1%) were imported, mainly from Poland; imports from Hungary increased as well. In total 22 523 tonnes (−7.4%) were exported, prevailingly to Slovakia, Germany and Austria.
The surplus in the trade¹⁾ in live poultry, especially chicken, hens and turkeys for meat production, represented approximately one quarter of the deficit of the trade in poultrymeat.

Milk and milk products
In 2018 the direct milk collection from domestic producers accounted for 2 952.3 million litres (+1.8%), of which 2 525.3 million litres (+1.9%) were collected by diaries from producers and collection centres.
The average agricultural producer price of milk was by 2.1% higher than in 2017 and reached 8.62 CZK per litre of Q-quality milk. Its price surpassed the level of 9 CZK per litre at the beginning of the year (in January and February) as well as in its end (in December). The lowest price was recorded in July (8.20 CZK per litre).
During the observed period, 254.5 thous. tonnes (−15.6%) of milk and milk products were imported and 1 102.7 thous. tonnes (+5.5%) exported. Distinct surplus of external trade¹⁾ in milk and milk products rose, y-o-y. Milk and cream together with cheese and curd contributed to this situation the most. These two commodities recorded declined imports and increased exports, although the trade balance was noticeably positive in milk (+852.4 thous tonnes) while it was negative in cheese and curd (−39.3 thous. tonnes). The deficit of trade in butter (−20.4 thous. tonnes) went slightly down due to increased imports. Also imports of acidified milk products rose, and, therefore, their surplus declined to 19.9 thous. tonnes. The main trade partners for milk and milk products were Germany and Slovakia for both directions together with Poland for imports and Italy for exports.

Published data are final, except external trade data.

Responsible head: Jiří Hrbek, Director of Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Statistics Department, phone (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail jiri.hrbek@csu.gov.cz
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, phone (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail jiri.hrbek@csu.gov.cz
Data source: Statistical surveys of the CZSO on livestock slaughtering (Zem 1-12)
Public Database of the CZSO: Prices of Agriculture (table Agricultural Producer Price Indices and table Average Agricultural Price)
External Trade Database of the CZSO
Outcomes of statistical surveys of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic on milk collection (Mlék(MZe) 6-12, Odbyt(MZe)6-12) and on poultry purchase (Drůb (MZe) 4-12)
End of data collection: 10 January 2019
End of data processing: 25 January 2019
Related outcomes: Livestock Slaughtering https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/livestock-slaughtering-november-2018 ; publication date of the detailed December figures: 4 February 2019
Date of the next News Release publication: 30 April 2019

Text was not edited for language.