Agriculture - 2nd quarter of 2011

Lasting decline of the number in sows; meat production only slightly decreased

In the 2nd quarter, meat production amounted to 128.9 thousand tonnes, i.e. it was lower by 5.6 % than in the same period of the previous year. The lowest decline was observed in pig meat production (by 1.9 %), in beef (by 3.3 %) and a substantial fall was revealed in poultry (by 11.7 %). Dairies collected 582.7 million litres of milk (by 0.5 % less, y-o-y) for the average price CZK 8.26 per litre (by 14.1 higher, y-o-y).

Slaughtering and meat production

In the 2 ^nd quarter of 2011, the number of slaughtered cattle counted for 61 732 heads; their average live weight was 546 kg. The total year-on-year decline in the number of slaughtered bovine animals by 3.5 % comprised the decrease in slaughtered cows (by 7.5 %), but also the increase in slaughtered bulls (by 0.3 %) and calves (by 4.0 %). Beef and veal production amounted to 18 027 tonnes and it was lower by 3.3 % than in the 2 ^nd quarter of the previous year.
The number of slaughtered pigs was lower by 1.7 % y-o-y. In total, 746 019 pigs were slaughtered, of which sows counted for 22 191 heads. On the contrary, the number of slaughtered sows increased by 10.4 %. 19 % of the number of sows at the beginning of the 2 ^nd quarter was delivered to slaughterhouses. Total pig meat production was 67 313 tonnes, it was lower by 1.9 y-o-y.
Total poultry meat production amounted to 43 531 tonnes. It was by 11.7 % lower y-o-y, nevertheless by 13.3 % higher than in the 1 ^st quarter of 2011.

Results of cattle, pig and poultry breeding

According to the livestock enumeration at April 1 ^st 2011, cattle numbers stayed almost unchanged as at the same date in 2010 (decreased by 0.4 %). In total, 1 343.7 thousand heads of bovines were kept in the Czech Republic. As well as the total number of cows remained stable, it counted for 551.5 thousand heads. The total increase by 0.1 % comprised the declined number of dairy cows by 2.5 % and the increased number of suckler cows by 6.0 %.
The total number of pigs went down by 8.4 % y-o-y to 1 749.1 thousand heads. The number of sows decreased by 20 358 heads to 112 441, which was only 84.7 % of the number by the last year’s enumeration. Either number of gilts does not indicate any positive progress; their number dropped by 20.6 %, y-o-y. Lower declines of the numbers, i.e. a better stability of herds, were found in regions that belong to crucial for pig husbandry, e.g. the Středočeský region (by 3.4 %, including Prague region) and the Jihomoravský region (by 5.1 %).
The number of poultry went down y-o-y by 14.4 %, the largest fall was found in fattened chicken (by 23.9 % to 11 319.8 thousand heads) and ducks (by 28.0 % to 289.3 thousand heads). The numbers of hens, geese and turkeys stayed almost on the last year’s level (the number decreased by 1.3 % to 6 137.5 thousand heads in hens, by 3.1 % to 18.2 thousand heads in geese, and by 2.9 % to 365.3 thousand heads in turkeys).

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

In the 2 ^nd quarter, agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter increased y-o-y in all categories: by 4.1 % in bulls, by 3.3 % in calves, by 3.1 %in cows and by 2.8 % in heifers. The average price of bulls for slaughter in S, E and U quality classes was CZK 79.33 per kg of carcass weight or CZK 41.99 per kg of live weight.

Agricultural producer prices of pigs for slaughter were higher by 4.3 % y-o-y. The average price of pigs for slaughter in S, E and U quality classes was CZK 36.71 per kg of carcass weight or CZK 28.47 per kg of live weight.

Agricultural producer prices of chicken for slaughter rose by 10.2 %. The average price of chicken for slaughter in 1 ^st-quality class was CZK 22.19 per kg of live weight.

External trade in live animals and meat

According to provisional results, external trade ¹⁾ in live animals (expressed in live weight) reached a surplus in cattle (10 203 tonnes) and poultry (10 030 tonnes) in the period from March to May 2011. Trade in live pigs was balanced; import was only by 97 tonnes higher than export.
There was a considerable predominance of export over import in live cattle; import amounted to 239 tonnes and export 10 442 tonnes. Import went down by 44.5 % y-o-y, export only by 1.1 %. A proportion of animals intended for slaughter counted for 89 % of import and 60 % of export. Live cattle was imported predominantly from Slovakia (73 %) and the Netherlands (17 %); it was exported to Austria (51 %), Croatia (14 %) and to other countries (less than 10 % to each of them).
Import of live pigs decreased by 14.7 % to 4 900 tonnes, export by 0.4 % to 4 803 tonnes. The average weight of imported animals was 42.1 kg, which showed a predominance of pigs in the category up to 50 kg (they comprised 50 % of import). Nevertheless, the average live weight of exported animals was 115.4 kg and animals for slaughter prevailed (85 %) in export. Live pigs were imported mainly from Denmark (45 %), the Netherlands (23 %), and Germany (23 %); they were exported to Hungary (46 %) and Slovakia (37 %).
Import and export of live poultry amounted to 1 109 and 11 139 tonnes, respectively. Import decreased by 22.1 %, whereas export rose by 35.3 %, y-o-y. A proportion of chicken for slaughter was 76 % of import and 74 % of export. Most of live poultry came from Slovakia (82 %) and Germany (15 %); it was exported to Germany (42 %), Slovakia (30 %), and Poland (23 %).

In external trade ¹⁾ in meat, import exceeded export by 62 849 tonnes, of which by 3 668 tonnes in beef, by 42 022 tonnes in pig meat and by 17 159 tonnes in poultry. Both import and export in all types of meat went up, y-o-y.
Import of beef amounted to 5 585 tonnes (increased by 18.9 %, y-o-y), export 1 917 tonnes (by 60.2 % more). Beef was imported mainly from Poland (31 %), Germany (17 %), Austria (15 %), and Ireland (13 %); and exported to Slovakia (32 %), Germany (21 %), Turkey (15 %), Denmark (11 %), and Poland (11 %).
Import of pig meat reached 51 752 tonnes (by 12.0 % more, y-o-y), export 9 730 tonnes (by 12.8 % more). Pig meat came predominantly from Germany (46 %) and from other countries with a proportion of the total import less than 10 % for each. Most of pig meat was exported to Slovakia (83 %).
Y-o-y increase was revealed in both import (by 27.9 %) and export (by 11.2 %) in poultry. In total, imports reached 24 510 tonnes (of which 32 % from Poland, 19 % from Brazil, and 13 % from Germany) and exports amounted to 7 350 tonnes (of which 58 % to Slovakia, and 17 % to the Netherlands).

Milk collection and agricultural producer prices in milk

In the 2 ^nd quarter of 2011, dairies collected 582 717 thousand litres of milk, which was by 0.5 % less than in the same period of the previous year.
Agriculture producer prices of milk went up by 14.1 %, y-o-y. Milk of the highest quality class (Q) was delivered to diaries for the average price of CZK 8.26 per litre.

External trade in milk and milk products

External trade ¹⁾ in milk and milk products showed an active balance of 150 955 tonnes in the period from March to May 2011, import amounted to 60 288 tonnes (by 9.7 % less, y-o-y), export reached 211 243 tonnes (by 7.5 % more). Export of acidified or fermented milk products was higher by 7 620 tonnes than import, when both import and export slightly decreased (by 3.8 % and 2.3 %, respectively). The balance in cheese and curd was negative (9 210 tonnes), import went down by 11.9 %, export grew by 16.1 %. Both import and export of butter decreased by 21.8 % and 46.2 %, respectively. Stable partners for trade in milk and milk products are Germany (38 %), Slovakia (24 %) and Poland (22 %) – for import and Germany (55 %) and Slovakia (17 %) – for export.

Text not edited for language.

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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 are not under reporting duty for Intrastat.

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Notes:
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, phone 27405 2331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Source: Livestock Slaughtering (Czech Statistical Office), Livestock Census (Czech Statistical Office), Agricultural Producer Price Indices in June 2011 (Czech Statistical Office), External Trade Database (Czech Statistical Office), data on milk collection and poultry purchase (Ministry of Agriculture)
Date of completing data collection: July 11 ^th , 2011
Date of completing data processing: July 27 ^th , 2011
Published data are final, except external trade data.
Following tables:
/csu/czso/livestock-slaughtering-december-2011-jiens4600o
/csu/czso/livestock-census-april-1st-2011-sxpmyi2a3u
Next News Releases: 31 October 2011

Published: 29.07.2011
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.