In Q2 2018 the meat production amounted to 111 589 tonnes (+0.8%, year-on-year); it consisted of 17 109 tonnes of beef (+3.6%), 53 078 tonnes of pigmeat (−1.2%), and 41 359 tonnes of poultrymeat (+2.4%). Prices of cattle for slaughter slightly grew, y-o-y (+2.1%) while they dropped by 19.8% for pigs for slaughter and almost did not change for chicken for slaughter (+0.4%). Milk collection from producers reached 767 164 thousand litres (+2.5%); the agricultural producers price of milk was by 1.5% higher than in Q2 2017.

Slaughtering and meat production
In Q2 2018 the number of slaughtered cattle accounted for 56.1 thous. head (+1.7%, y-o-y), of which 22.8 thous. were bulls (−1.6%), 25.4 thous. were cows (+5.0%) and 5.7 thous. were heifers (+1.4%). The total beef production amounted to 17 109 tonnes (+3.6%). This y-o-y increase of the production was caused also by weight of slaughtered animals which was higher on average by 10.7 kg per head.

The number of slaughtered pigs (580.3 thous. head) in Q2 2018 dropped again, y-o-y (by 3.2%). However, this decline was influenced by a distinct growth in exports of live pigs for slaughter. The pigmeat production reached 53 078 tonnes (−1.2%); lower number of slaughtered pigs was partly compensated by their higher average weight (116.4 kg per head; pigs for slaughter excluding sows).

The poultrymeat production in Q2 2018 slightly increased to 41 359 tonnes (+2.4%).

Cattle, pig, and poultry numbers
According to results of the Livestock Survey as at 1 April, the number of cattle in the Czech Republic was 1 415.8 thous. head (−0.4%). A slight decline was recorded in the category of animals up to 1 year (by 1.8%), the number of fattened bulls dropped by 5.6% and, on the contrary, the number of mated heifers went slightly up by 2.7%. Persisting trends were observed in both categories of cows: slight decrease for dairy cows (−1.2%) and slight increase for beef cows (+2.7%).

The number of pigs rose, y-o-y, to 1 557.2 thous. head (+4.5%). The number of piglets up to 20 kg increased by 8.1%; this surplus was afterwards exported (in their average weight 27.2 kg per head) for fattening. The number of pigs for fattening went up as well (+3.3%); this increase was noticeable mainly in upper weight categories, i.e. animals before the slaughter.

The number of poultry at the beginning of Q2 2018 was higher, y-o-y, by 9.7% and accounted for 23 572.8 thous. head. Increases were recorded in all poultry species and categories: to 7 989.6 thous. head (+16.9%) for hens, to 11 283.4 thous. head (+3.2%) for chicks for fattening, to 780.8 (+42.0%) for ducks, to 343.8 thous. head (+1.2%) for turkeys and to 19.8 thous. head (+9.7%) for geese.

Agricultural producer prices of cattle, pigs and chicken for slaughter
Agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter in Q2 2018 went slightly up for cows (+4.3%), calves (+3.2%) and bulls (+1.2%) and they did not change for heifers. The average price of bulls for slaughter was 48.00 CZK per kg of live weight or 87.37 CZK per kg of carcass weight.

In Q2 2018, agricultural producer prices of pigs for slaughter were by 19.8% under the level of those in Q2 2017 and they reached on average 26.82 CZK per kg of live weight or 34.87 CZK per kg of carcass weight. Compared to Q1 2018, the average price went down by 0.94 CZK per kg of carcass weight. The average price of weaned piglets rose, y-o-y, by 5.1% to 65.72 CZK per kg.

Agricultural producer prices of chicken for slaughter almost did not change, y-o-y (+0.4%). Producers sold chicken for slaughter of the first quality class on average for 22.99 CZK per kg of live weight.

External trade in live animals and meat
According to preliminary results, external trade^[1]) in live animals in weight units in the period from March to May 2018 reached a positive balance (16 185 tonnes for cattle, 9 541 tonnes for pigs, and 8 496 tonnes for poultry).

Although imports of live cattle increased, y-o-y, to 1.7 thous. head, they stayed permanently negligible compared to their exports (46.9 thous. head). As for exports, animals for further rearing prevailed (29.6 thous. head), despite a year-on-year decrease by 13.0%. The number of animals for slaughter exported was 17.2 thous. head; it represents 11 254 tonnes in live weight (+7.4%) of fattened animals. The largest number of live cattle were exported to Austria (solely animals for slaughter), Turkey (solely ones for further rearing) and Germany (calves for further rearing and adult cattle for slaughter).

External trade¹⁾ in live pigs recorded significant year-on-year changes which led to increase in its surplus. Significant decline in imports and rise in exports were recorded in both important categories: piglets and pigs for slaughter. The number of exported piglets (42.2 thous. head; +148.4%) became to be balanced with the number of imported ones (40.7 thous. head; −25.9%) and, therefore, up-to-now existing need to import piglets turned to an equalized balance. Pigs for slaughter were not imported. On the contrary, their exports went up to 81.5 thous. head and 9 637 tonnes of live weight (+40.4%), which in carcass weight equals to approximately one eighth of the quarterly production of pigmeat. Piglets came traditionally from Germany and Denmark and were exported to Romania, Hungary, Germany and Slovakia; pigs for slaughter went to Slovakia, Hungary and Germany.

External trade¹⁾ with live poultry showed a positive balance both in day-old juveniles and in poultry for slaughter. Imports of day-old chicks decreased, y-o-y, almost to one half (2.1 million head), while their exports rose by 16.5% to 27.2 million head. Day-old chicks of meat type were exported mainly to Slovakia, ones of laying type to Romania, Poland and Bulgaria. Exports of chicks and hens for slaughter recorded a distinct year-on-year decrease by 30.2% to 5 366 tonnes; it was directed mostly to Slovakia (chicks) and Poland (hens). Imports were not important in these two categories.

The negative balance of external trade¹⁾ in meat slightly deepened again, y-o-y, in all three types: to −7 249 tonnes for beef, to −60 814 tonnes for pigmeat, and to −23 564 tonnes for poultrymeat.
Imports of beef went slightly up to 9 977 tonnes (+4.1%), and its exports rose as well (to 2 728 tonnes; +7.3%). Imported meat came especially from Poland, Germany and the Netherlands; exports went mainly to Slovakia but also to the Netherlands and to Poland.
As for trade in pigmeat, the negative balance deepened mainly due to distinctly lower exports. There were 67 404 tonnes (+1.1%) imported from Germany, Spain and also Poland, while only 6 590 tonnes (−26.5%) were exported, prevailingly to Slovakia.
The amount of poultrymeat imported was lower than that in Q2 2017 (29 619 tonnes; −5.3%); its exports dropped to 6 055 tonnes (−34.0%). The largest amount of poultrymeat was imported from Poland; the share of its imports from Hungary rose. Exports were directed to Slovakia, Germany and Austria.

Milk collection and agricultural producer prices of milk
In total 767 164 thousand litres of milk (+2.5%) were collected in Q2 2018 from domestic producers, of which 655 663 thousand litres by dairies (+3.1%). Agricultural producer prices of milk were by 1.5% higher than in Q2 2017. Producers sold milk of Q quality class for the average price of 8.40 CZK per litre, i.e. by 0.69 CZK per litre less than in Q1 2018.

External trade in milk and milk products
Considerable surplus in external trade¹⁾ in milk and milk products rose, y-o-y, to 233 636 tonnes. Imports dropped to 63 765 tonnes (−5.2%) and exports rose to 297 401 tonnes (+10.0%). Milk and cream contributed to declined imports and increased exports the most: compared to Q2 2017, by 7 146 tonnes less were imported and by 27 576 tonnes more were exported. An opposite trend was recorded for acidified milk products (+17.2% for imports and −10.4% for exports). The trade in all other important categories of milk products was similar to that in Q2 2017. Germany and Slovakia were the most important trade partners for both directions together with Poland for imports and Italy for exports.

______________________
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.

Text was not edited for language.

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