Agriculture - 2nd quarter of 2013

Meat production down, exports of animals for slaughter up

In Q2 2013 the total meat production amounted to 111 968 tonnes. It decreased in all categories, year-on-year: by 2.3% in beef, by 1.4% in pigmeat, and by 5.0% in poultrymeat. Agricultural producer prices of animals for slaughter went up by 3.2% for cattle and by 11.4% for poultry, and they went down by 0.3% for pigs. Milk collection declined by 4.5% to 596 700 thousand litres; agricultural producer prices of milk rose by 3.5%.

Slaughtering and meat production
In Q2 2013 the number of slaughtered cattle was 54 thousand heads; it decreased by 3.2%, year-on-year. A decrease was recorded in both main categories, i.e. bulls (−2.3%) and cows (−3.4%); it reflected an increased export of animals for slaughter. The total beef and veal production reached 16 008 tonnes (−2.3%).
The number of slaughtered pigs (668 thous. heads) decreased by 1.5%, y-o-y; the main reason was – similarly to cattle slaughtering – an increased number of exported animals for slaughter. The total pigmeat production was 59 030 tonnes (−1.4%); it grew by 1.5% compared to Q1 2013.
The total poultry meat production declined by 5.0%, y-o-y, to 36 893 tonnes.

Results of cattle, pig and poultry breeding
According to the livestock survey as at 1 April 2013, the number of cattle reached 1 353 thousand heads and stayed at the same level as in the previous year (−0.1%). No substantial changes were identified in particular categories either. Continuing slight decline was observed in dairy cows (367 thous. heads, −1.6%) together with persisting modest increment in number of suckler ones (185 thous. heads, +3.7%).
The number of pigs did not change year-on-year (+0.5%); in total 1 587 thous. heads were kept in the Czech Republic as at 1 April 2013. A gradual increment in number of sows (102 thous. heads, +2.2%; covered ones +4.1%) should contribute positively to future pig production.
The number of poultry increased to 23 265 thousand heads (+12.4%; of which hens +35.3%) at the beginning of Q2 2013. This significant year-on-year change was due to a recovery following a distinct reduction at the turn of the year 2011/2012 which was connected with obligatory changes in equipment respecting animal welfare. The number of hens – 7 243 thous. heads – exceeded the 2011 figure.

Agricultural producer prices of cattle, pigs and chicken for slaughter
In Q2 2013 agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter went up, y-o-y: for cows by 6.7%, for heifers by 6.4%, and for bulls by 1.4%; and they declined for calves by 5.2%. The average price of bulls for slaughter was CZK 46.16 per kg of live weight or CZK 84.01 per kg of carcass weight.
Agricultural producer prices of pigs for slaughter fell by 0.3%. The producers sold pigs for slaughter on average for CZK 31.59 per kg of live weight or CZK 40.59 per kg of carcass weight.
Agricultural producer prices of chicken for slaughter rose by 11.4%. Their average price for the first-quality class was CZK 25.07 per kg of live weight.

External trade in live animals and meat
According to preliminary results of external trade ¹⁾ in live animals in the period from March to May 2013 there was a surplus in the balance for all three species: 13 852 tonnes for cattle, 4 102 tonnes for pigs, and 8 436 tonnes for poultry.
Exports of live cattle exceeded imports. In total 210 tonnes (+11.9%) of live animals were imported and 14 062 tonnes (+2.5%) were exported; i.e. these data correspond with a positive balance of 18 thous. heads of cattle for slaughter and 20 thous. heads of animals intended for further rearing. The Netherlands was the main partner for imports of live cattle (purebred cattle and cattle for further rearing) while Austria dominated in exports (cattle for slaughter).
Imports of live pigs amounted to 2 972 tonnes (−66.4%) and their exports to 7 074 tonnes (+63.1%). A positive balance was influenced by a plummet in imports of pigs for slaughter (only 6 thous heads; by 86.9%, y-o-y) and piglets (83 thous. heads; by 38.9%) and by increased exports of pigs for slaughter (to 61 thous. heads; by 67.8%). Live pigs were imported mainly from Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands; category up to 50 kg dominated here. Exports went to Slovakia, Hungary and Germany, with prevailing pigs for slaughter.
Both imports and exports of live poultry increased compared to Q2 2012; their imports amounted to 1 674 tonnes (+18.0%) and exports to 10 110 tonnes (+10.4%). Live poultry was imported mainly from Slovakia (both one-day chicks and chicken for fattening) and Germany (day old poultry), and exported to Slovakia (day old chicks and chicken for slaughter), Poland (day old chicks, chicken for fattening, turkeys, and hens), Germany (turkeys for slaughter) and to Romania (day old chicks).
External trade ¹⁾ in meat was negatively balanced in all meat categories: ­2 734 tonnes of beef, ­42 124 tonnes of pigmeat and ­15 376 tonnes of poultrymeat.

Both imports and exports of beef declined diminutively: imports to 4 695 tonnes (­1.0%) and exports to 1 961 tonnes (−0.3%) y-o-y. The trade in beef went in both directions with Poland and the Netherlands; Poland prevailed in imports while Slovakia and Germany in exports.
Imports of pigmeat reached 50 775 tonnes (−11.6%) and its exports 8 650 tonnes (­16.1%). Pigmeat was imported mainly from Germany and exported to Slovakia.
Both imports and exports of poultrymeat decreased year-on-year: its imports amounted to 21 936 tonnes (−12.5%) and exports to 6 560 tonnes (−19.0%). Imports came from Poland, Brazil and Germany while exports went mainly to Slovakia and the Netherlands.

Milk collection and agricultural producer prices of milk
In Q2 2013 milk delivery from domestic producers to dairies amounted to 596 700 thousand litres; it was by 4.5% less than in the same period of the previous year.
Agricultural producer prices of milk went up by 3.5%, y-o-y. The average price of Q-quality milk was CZK 8.20 per litre.

External trade in milk and milk products
In external trade ¹⁾ in milk and milk products exports exceeded imports by 168 238 tonnes. Compared to the same period of the previous year, imports went down to 61 749 tonnes (−21.1%) while exports rose to 229 987 tonnes (+2.5%). Imports increased in cheese and curd (+1.0%) while they declined in yoghurts and acidified milk products (−13.3%) and butter (−19.6%) and plummeted in milk and cream (−40.5%). Exports went up in cheese and curd (+25.7%), in butter (+3.4%), and in milk and cream (+1.8%); they dropped in yoghurts and acidified milk products (−4.7%). The main partners in trade in milk and milk products were Germany and Slovakia (both directions), together with Poland for imports.
_________________________________

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.


Notes:
Published data are final, except external trade data.
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, phone 27405 2331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Source: Livestock Slaughtering (Czech Statistical Office), Livestock survey (Czech Statistical Office), Agricultural Producer Price Indices (Czech Statistical Office), External Trade Database (Czech Statistical Office), data on milk collection and poultry purchase (Ministry of Agriculture)
End of data collection: 10 July 2013
End of data processing: 26 July 2013
Following tables: http://www.czso.cz/csu/2013edicniplan.nsf/engp/2110-1 3
/csu/czso/livestock-survey-142013-ag1p7xx6xr
/csu/czso/indexy-cen-zemedelskych-vyrobcu-2013-xyvpxbrgw8 , in Czech
Date of the next News Release publication: 30 October 2013

This press release was not edited for language.

Published: 30.07.2013
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.