Animal Production - 2nd quarter of 2021

"Meat production increased by 4.3% in Q2 2021. Compared to the last comparable pre-pandemic period, i.e. Q2 2019, the meat production is by 2% higher. Prices of pigs for slaughter bounced back. Farmers sold pigs for slaughter on average for 36.25 CZK per kg in slaughter weight," Renata Vodičková, Head of the Agricultural and Forestry Statistics Unit, says.

"Although meat production is increasing recently, farmers are struggling with unfavourable price levels at which they sell their animals for slaughter. In addition, input prices are rising much faster. This trend is visible in pig farming the most," Markéta Fiedlerová from the Agricultural and Forestry Statistics Unit adds.

Slaughtering and meat production
The total meat production in the Czech Republic in Q2 2021 accounted for 116 277 tonnes. Due to low last years' values, which were affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic situation, it was by 4.3% more, y-o-y.
In total 58.1 thous. head of cattle were slaughtered in abattoirs in Q2 2021, i.e. by 5.5% more, y‑o‑y; of which 25.4 thous. head were bulls (+5.9 %), 23.7 thous. head were cows (+3.2%), and 7.0 thous. head were heifers (+12.3%). Production of beef went up, y-o-y, by 4.3% to 17 996 tonnes.
Slaughtering of pigs in Q2 2021 grew, y-o-y, to 596.3 thous. head (+7.9%). Slaughtering of sows went up significantly (+27.6%). The pigmeat production reached 54 717 tonnes (+6.4%).
According to the statistical survey of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, the amount of poultry slaughtered in Q2 2021 accounted for 66 991 tonnes, which represents 43 542 tonnes of poultrymeat produced (+1.8%).

Cattle and pig numbers
According to the statistical survey on cattle production, the number of cattle kept in the Czech Republic at the end of Q2 2021 was 1 413.2 thous. head, i.e. by 0.4% more that on the same date in 2020. Year-on-year stable numbers were recorded also in particular categories: cattle aged up to 1 year (+0.9%), mated heifers (+0.7%), and dairy cows (+0.7%). There was a slight increase in the number of fattening bulls (+5.7%) and of other cows (+2.3%).
The number of pigs reached 1 523.7 thous. head and was almost unchanged, y-o-y (+0.2%) as well as the number of fattening pigs (+0.4%) and of sows (+0.1%). A decrease was observed in the number of covered gilts (−6.8%), i.e. the category on which the herd replacement is based.

Agricultural producer prices of cattle, pigs and chicken for slaughter
Agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter increased by 3.3%, y-o-y; of which those of bulls for slaughter by 1.9%, those of cows for slaughter by 6.3%, and those of heifers for slaughter by 3.2%. The average price of bulls for slaughter was 46.19 CZK per kg in live weight or 84.07 CZK per kg in slaughter weight.
The prices of pigs for slaughter persisted to stay under the values of Q2 2020 (−17.7%) and reached on average 27.88 CZK per kg in live weight or 36.25 CZK per kg in slaughter weight. Farmers received by 3.36 CZK per kg of carcass weight more for pigs sold in Q2 2021 than in Q1 2021.
The prices of chicken for slaughter went negligibly up, y-o-y (+0.9%). The producers sold chicken for slaughter of the first quality class on average for 23.01 CZK per kg in live weight.

Cross border movements – live animals and meat
According to preliminary results of cross border movements[1]⁾ in Q2 2021, the number of live cattle and pigs transported across the border was approximately the same, y-o-y; however, the turnover decreased for live poultry.
Exports of live cattle amounted to 42.6 thous. head (−0.3%), of which 15.2 thous. head (−4.0%) were intended for slaughter and 27.4 thous. head (+1.9%) for further rearing. Although exports of live cattle distinctly prevailed over their imports, the number of bulls for slaughter imported, mainly from Slovakia and Hungary, doubled. Live cattle were exported to Austria, Germany (cattle for slaughter to both countries); exports of cattle for further rearing to Turkey declined.
Imports of live pigs slightly increased, y-o-y, to 27.6 thous. head (+2.7%), while their exports stayed at the same level (103.1 thous. head; +0.5%). Increased imports were recorded for pigs for breeding and slightly also for piglets; imports of pigs for slaughtering, on the contrary, declined to a negligible amount. Exports of piglets went slightly up. In total 5 291 tonnes of pigmeat was exported in pigs for slaughter, which represents one tenth of its quarterly production in the Czech Republic. Live pigs came from Denmark, Germany, and Slovakia; they were exported mainly to Slovakia, Germany, and Hungary.
Cross border movements for the commodity live poultry continued by a lower turnover, y-o-y, due to a decrease in both imports and exports. In total 4 770 tonnes (−17.8%, y-o-y) of chicken and hens for slaughter were exported. Although cross border movements of day-old chicks went down (−33.4% for imports and −6.0% for exports), the provision of their normal needs for domestic production was not affected. Hungary, Germany, and Slovakia were partners for imports of live poultry; their exports were directed to Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Romania, and Ukraine.
The negative balance of cross border movements of goods¹⁾ in the commodity meat deepened, y-o-y, for beef and pigmeat, while it improved for poultrymeat.
In total 10 514 tonnes (+29.9%) of beef were imported and 2 912 tonnes (+2.1%) exported. Imported beef came mostly from Poland, the Netherlands, and Germany. Exports were directed above all to Slovakia, Poland, and the Netherlands.
Imports of pigmeat increased again, y-o-y (68 024 tonnes; +5.9%) and its exports went up to 8 617 tonnes (+16.2%). Pigmeat was imported traditionally from Germany and Spain but also from Poland and Belgium; it was exported mostly to Slovakia.
Imports of poultrymeat accounted for 25 390 tonnes (−7.3%) and its exports rose to 4 166 tonnes (+22.4%). More than a half of the imported poultrymeat came from Poland. Its exports went to Slovakia, Germany, and Austria.

Milk collection and agricultural producer prices of milk
According to the statistical survey of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, in total 782 787 thousand litres of milk (−2.1%) were collected from domestic producers in Q2 2021, of which 678 905 thousand litres (+0.8%) were purchased by dairies.
Agricultural producer prices of milk slightly rose, y-o-y (+2.9%). The average price of Q-quality milk was 8.84 CZK per litre.

Cross border movements – milk and milk products
In Q2 2021, 79.4 thous. tonnes (+15.8%) of milk and milk products were imported and 284.7 thous. tonnes (−5.2%) were exported. A significant surplus of cross border movements of goods¹⁾ in the commodity milk and milk products went down, y-o-y, to 205 292 tonnes, mainly due to increased imports and lower exports of milk and cream. The deficit in cross border movements of cheese and curd went slightly down to −9 547 tonnes. The negative balance deepened for butter (−5 063 tonnes). The positive balance for acidified milk products went negligibly down to 5 317 tonnes. Milk and milk products were imported the most from Germany (mainly cheese), Poland (cheese), and Slovakia (milk). Exports went above all to Germany (milk), Slovakia (milk, yoghurts), and Italy (milk, cheese).

Responsible head: Radek Matějka, Director of Agricultural and Forestry, Industrial, Construction and Energy Statistics Department, phone (+420) 736 168 543, e‑mail radek.matejka@csu.gov.cz
Contact person: Renata Vodičková, Head of Agricultural and Forestry Statistics Unit, phone (+420) 703 824 173, e-mail renata.vodickova@csu.gov.cz
Data source: Statistical survey of the CZSO on livestock slaughtering (Zem 1-12), on cattle production (Zem 1-02) and on pig production (Zem 2-02)
Public Database of the CZSO: Prices of Agriculture (table Agricultural Producer Price Indices and table Average Agricultural Price)
Database of the CZSO - Cross Border Movements of Goods
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: 30 July 2021
Related outcomes: Livestock Slaughtering: https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/livestock-slaughtering-june-2021
Cattle Production: https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/cattle-production-1st-half-of-2021
Pig Production: https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/pig-production-1st-half-of-2021
Date of the next News Release publication: 9 November 2021

Text was not edited for language.