Agriculture - 4th quarter of 2010

In the 4 ^th quarter of 2010, total meat production decreased by 1.1%, year-on-year. Beef production remained on the same level as in the 4 ^th quarter of the previous year, pig meat production increased by 1.1%, while poultry production decreased by 4.8%.
In 2010, total meat production was 538 554 tonnes, i.e. by 3.1% less than in 2009. Agricultural producer prices went down in cattle for slaughter by 0.8%, year-on-year, in pigs for slaughter by 8.8%, and in chicken for slaughter by 1.8%. Milk collection amounted to 2 251.4 million litres, i.e. by 1.8% less, year-on-year. Prices of agricultural producers of milk increased by 18.6%.
Slaughtering and meat production

In the 4 ^th quarter of 2010, number of cattle slaughtered declined by 1.9% year-on-year (to 69 808 heads), whereas it rose by 16.4% in comparison to the previous quarter. The average carcass weight (293.0 kg) went up by 2.0% thus production of beef (including veal) stayed on the same level as in the 4 ^th quarter of the last year (it amounted to 20 453 tonnes).

Numbers of slaughtered pigs were higher by 0.4% y-o-y (808 244 heads); the average carcass weight increased by 0.7% (88.8 kg). Further to a trend in pig slaughtering, pig meat production increased by 1.1% y-o-y (to 71 768 tonnes).

Poultry production was lower by 4.8% in comparison to the same period of the previous year and amounted to 46 612 tonnes.

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

In the 4 ^th quarter, agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter increased y-o-y in bulls (by 3.2%), in heifers (by 1.5%); they stayed nearly on the same level in cows (lower by 0.1%), but they substantially declined in calves (by 7.2%). The average price of bulls for slaughter in S, E, and U quality classes reached CZK 39.76 per kg of live weight or CZK 76.03 per kg of carcass weight.

Agricultural producer prices of pigs for slaughter were lower by 4.4% y-o-y. The average price of pigs for slaughter in S, E, and U quality classes decreased to CZK 26.86 per kg of live weight or to CZK 34.79 per kg of carcass weight.

Agricultural producer prices of chicken for slaughter went up y-o-y by 1.7%. The average price of 1 ^st-quality chicken was CZK 20.81 per kg of live weight.

Milk collection and agricultural producer prices of milk

In the 4 ^th quarter of 2010 dairies collected 542 574 thousand litres of milk from domestic producers, i.e. just by 0.2% less then in the same period of 2009.

Agricultural producer prices of milk of the Q-quality rose by 25.7% y-o-y. The average price was CZK 7.82 per litre.

Trends in meat production, milk collection, agricultural producer prices and foreign trade in 2010

Total meat production in 2010 was 538 554 tonnes, which was by 3.1% less than in 2009. This amount included 73 730 tonnes of beef, 529 tonnes of veal, 275 905 tonnes of pig meat, 145 tonnes of sheep meat (of which 101 tonnes of lamb), 4 tonnes of goat meat, 63 tonnes of horse meat, and 188 177 tonnes of poultry.

Beef production (including veal) in 2010 declined by 3.6% y-o-y. The smallest interannual decrease in number of slaughtered animals was achieved in bulls (by 3.0%), the largest one in cows (by 9.1%).

Agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter were y-o-y higher in bulls (by 0.5%). In other cattle categories, the prices went down: in heifers by 1.8%, in cows by 2.7%, and in calves by 4.3%. The average price of bulls for slaughter of the S, E and U-quality classes reached CZK 39.63 per kg in live weight or CZK 76.29 per kg of carcass weight (minimum CZK 73.67 in January and maximum CZK 77.65 in April).

According to provisional results, foreign trade ¹⁾ in live bovine animals reached a positive balance (46 288 tonnes) in period from December 2009 to November 2010. Import amounted to 1 166 tonnes and was lower by 40.9% y-o-y. Export decreased by 8.9% to 47 454 tonnes. A proportion of animals for slaughter counted for 88.0% of the total import and for 53.0% of the total export. The largest amount of live bovine livestock was imported from Slovakia (87%); exports predominantly went to Austria (41%), Croatia (11%), and to Germany (10%).

A foreign trade ¹⁾ balance in beef (including veal) was negative (-15 241 tonnes); 21 148 tonnes were imported and 5 907 tonnes were exported. Both import and export rose y-o-y; import by 14.0% (by 2 595 tonnes), export by 9.3% (by 503 tonnes). Beef was imported mainly from Poland (34%), Germany (21%), Austria (14%), and Ireland (13%). Exports led to neighbouring countries: to Slovakia (24%), Austria (19%), Poland (17%), and Germany (10%), but also to Turkey (24%).

Pig meat production in 2010 declined by 3.0% y-o-y. The slightly higher (by 0.9%) average carcass weight of pigs for slaughter (without sows and boars) compensated for decreased number (by 4.0%) and so meat production in this category went down just by 3.1%.

Agricultural producer prices in pigs for slaughter declined y-o-y by 8.8%. The average price of pigs for slaughter of the S, E and U-quality classes was CZK 27.22 per kg of live weight or CZK 35.07 per kg of carcass weight (minimum in March CZK 32.98 per kg and maximum in July CZK 38.01 per kg).

Foreign trade ¹⁾ statistics on live pigs revealed a deficit of 4 980 tonnes in the period from December 2009 to November 2010. Imports were by 12.9% lower (22 051 tonnes in total) and exports were by 70.9% higher (17 071 tonnes in total). Animals for slaughter comprised 49.2% and 94.4% of import and export, respectively. The interannual differences were caused by decreased import (by 36.0%) and increased export (by 73.5%) in category of pigs more than 50 kg of live weight. Live pigs were imported mostly from Denmark (44%), the Netherlands (26%), and Germany (20%); they were exported to Slovakia (48%) and Hungary (46%).

Foreign trade ¹⁾ in pig meat also showed a deficit (-159 976 tonnes). Imports and exports amounted to 195 087 and 35 111 tonnes of pig meat, respectively. Import increased by 10.1% (by 17 834 tonnes), export decreased by 2.4% (by 851 tonnes). Most of live pigs came from Germany (52%), other countries participated by less than 10% each one. Exports primarily went to Slovakia (88%).

Poultry production was y-o-y lower in all quarters of 2010, yearly by 3.1%. Total poultry production counted for 188 177 tonnes.

In 2010, agricultural producer prices in chicken for slaughter were lower by 1.3% than in previous year. The average price of the 1 ^st-quality chicken for slaughter was CZK 20.38 per kg of live weight (minimum in April CZK 20.03 per kg, maximum in November CZK 20.87 per kg).

Foreign trade ¹⁾ in live poultry showed a surplus of 28 394 tonnes in the period from December 2009 to November 2010; 5 893 tonnes of live poultry were imported (by 3.0% more than in 2009), 34 287 tonnes were exported (by 6.9% less). Chicken for slaughter comprised 78.0% and 65.0% of import and export, respectively. Imports of live poultry came from Slovakia (82%), and Germany (16%); exports went to Germany (48%), Poland (32%), and Slovakia (16%).

A foreign trade ¹⁾ balance in poultry was negative (-50 773 tonnes); import and export amounted to 76 404 tonnes and 25 631 tonnes of poultry, respectively. Import went up by 0.1% (by 52 tonnes) and export by 12.0% (by 2 738 tonnes). Poultry was imported mainly from Poland (41%) and Brazil (16%); it was exported to Slovakia (40%), Germany (17%), the Netherlands (16%), and Hungary (10%).

In 2010 dairies collected 2 251.4 million litres of milk. It was by 1.8% less than in 2009.

Agricultural producer prices in milk rose by 18.6% y-o-y. In January 2010, the average price of the Q-quality milk was below level of 2009; from February the average monthly prices were growing in comparison to the previous year. The average yearly price was CZK 7.35 per litre (minimum CZK 6.72 per litre in January, maximum CZK 7.98 per litre in December).

Foreign trade ¹⁾ in milk and milk products was positively balanced in the period from December 2009 to November 2010 (515 310 tonnes); 245 681 tonnes milk and milk products were imported and 760 991 tonnes were exported. Import was lower y-o-y by 10.0% (by 27 431 tonnes) as well as export declined by 9.9% (by 83 797 tonnes). Decreased import was mostly caused by decrease in milk (by 34.9%), which was partly compensated by increased import of whey (by 40.9%), fermented and acidified milk products (by 8.6%), and cheese and curd (by 2.3%). Export declined in all kinds of milk and milk products except cheese and curd. Export decreased in butter (by 37.5%), in milk (by 10.3%), and in fermented and acidified milk products (by 7.9%), to the contrary increased export of cheese and curd (by 13.6%). Milk and milk products were imported in particular from Germany (38%), Slovakia (27%) and Poland (23%). Exports went predominantly to Germany (56%) and to Slovakia (16%).

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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 since January 1st, 2009 and are not under reporting duty for Intrastat.

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Methodical note:
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, phone 27405 2331, e- mail: jiri.hrbek@csu.gov.cz
Source: full survey carried out by the Czech Statistical Office, Agricultural Producer Price Indices in December 2010 (CZSO).
Milk collection and purchase of poultry – survey conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Date of completing data collection: January 10 ^th , 2011
Date of completing data processing: January 27 ^th , 2011
Published data are final with the exception of foreign trade data.
Following tables: /katalog-produktu