Agriculture - 3 quarter 2014

Meat production at the last year level, milk collection slightly up

In Q3 2014 the total meat production amounted to 113 760 tonnes (+0.7%, year-on-year), of which 15  913  tonnes were beef and veal (+0.6%), 58 196 tonnes were pigmeat (+0.6%), and 39 578 tonnes were poultrymeat (+0.8%). Dairies collected 595 446 thousand litres of milk (+2.0%). Agricultural producer prices increased, y-o-y, for cattle for slaughter (+1.0%), pigs for slaughter (+1.5%) and milk (+12.8%); and declined for chicken for slaughter (−3.6%).

Slaughtering and meat production
In Q3 2014 the number of slaughtered cattle was 54.6 thousand heads; i.e. by 0.8% more, year-on-year. It rose for bulls (+5.0%) and calves (+10.6%) and went down for cows (−3.1%) and heifers (−4.4%). The total beef and veal production reached 15 913 tonnes (+0.6%).
The number of slaughtered pigs decreased by 1.3% to 653 858 heads; however, raised weight at slaughter (115.5 kg) caused a slight growth of pigmeat production by 0.6%. The total production amounted to 58 196 tonnes.
The total poultrymeat production grew, y-o-y, to 39 587 tonnes (+0.8%).

Cattle and pig numbers
According to the results of the last survey as at 30 June 2014, the number of cattle in the Czech Republic was 1 396.7 thousand heads, of which 569.0 thous. heads were cows. Year-on year increase was recorded in cattle less than one year old (+5.0%) and in cows (+2.6%) while the number of bulls for fattening went down (−2.0%) as well as the number of replacement heifers (−3.9%).
The number of pigs as at 31 July 2014 rose to 1 632.3 thous. heads (+2.5%), y-o-y. The number of sows declined (−0.9%) while in all other categories the number went up: by 0.5% for pigs for fattening, by 2.8% for covered gilts, and by 4.7% for pigs up to 50 kg.

Agricultural producer prices of cattle, pigs and chicken for slaughter
In Q3 2014 agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter went down, y-o-y, by 0.1% for heifers, by 2.4% for cows, and by 7.8% for calves; they increased in bulls – the most important category – by 3.1%. The average price of bulls for slaughter was 46.10 CZK per kg of live weight (83.90 CZK per kg of carcass weight), i.e. it remained at the same level as in Q2 2014.
Slight growth of agricultural producer prices of pigs for slaughter continued (+1.5%, y-o-y). The producers sold pigs for slaughter on average for 35.00 CZK per kg of live weight or 44.98 CZK per kg of carcass weight.
Agricultural producer prices of chicken for slaughter went down by 3.6%, y-o-y. Their average price for the first-quality class was 23.78 CZK 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 June to August 2014 there was a surplus in the balance for all three species: 15 576 tonnes for cattle, 1 886 tonnes for pigs, and 9 875 tonnes for poultry.
Imports of live cattle were negligible in comparison with their exports despite the fact that they were fourfold higher, y-o-y (233 tonnes); their exports increased by 1.2% (to 15 809 tonnes). Exports consisted of 18.5 thous. heads of cattle for slaughter, i.e. the same amount as is slaughtered in the Czech Republic during one month; and 23.9 thous. heads of animals intended for further rearing. Cattle for slaughter were exported mainly to Austria and Germany, cattle for breeding and for fattening to Croatia, Slovenia and Turkey.
Imports of live pigs amounted to 4 696 tonnes (−11.1%) and their exports to 6 582 tonnes (+15.3%). A positive balance was influenced by imports of piglets by 11.1% lower, y-o-y (78.6 thous. heads), together with exports of pigs for slaughter by 12.0% higher (54.0 thous. heads). Piglets weighing 26.8 kg on average were imported from Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. Pigs for slaughter were exported to Slovakia, Hungary and Germany; their average weight was 116.2 kg.
Imports of live poultry decreased, y-o-y, to 1 397 tonnes (−18.0%), while exports grew to 11 271 tonnes (+4.1%). This increase was caused mainly by trade with day old poultry (26 774 thous. heads; +40.9%) but also with chicken for slaughter (4 459 tonnes; +4.9%). Day old chicks were exported to Slovakia, Romania, Poland and Ukraine; chicken for slaughter to Germany and Slovakia.
External trade ¹⁾ in meat was negatively balanced in all meat categories: −4 201 tonnes of beef, −49 238 tonnes of pigmeat and −15 318 tonnes of poultrymeat.
Both imports and exports of beef rose: imports to 6 243 tonnes (+15.3%) and exports to 2 042 tonnes (+2.6%). Beef was imported mainly from Poland, the Netherlands, Germany and Ireland; it was exported mostly to Slovakia.
Imports of pigmeat reached 60 149 tonnes (+3.2%), mostly from Germany, Spain and Poland; and 10 911 tonnes (+1.4%) were exported, mainly to Slovakia.
Both imports and exports of poultrymeat decreased (−5.3% and −24.6%, respectively). In total 21 270 tonnes of poultrymeat were imported, mostly from Poland and Brazil; and 5 952 tonnes were exported, mainly to Slovakia and the Netherlands.

Milk collection and agricultural producer prices of milk
In Q3 2014, dairies collected 595 446 thousand litres of milk from domestic producers. It was by 2.0% more than in Q3 2013.
Agricultural producer prices of milk went up by 12.8%, y-o-y. The producers sold Q-quality milk on average for 9.47 CZK per litre (by 0.29 CZK less than in Q2 2014).

External trade in milk and milk products
In the period from June to August 2014, exports of milk and milk products exceeded imports by 149 863 tonnes. Compared to the same period of the previous year, imports went up to 77 028 tonnes (+24.3%) while exports declined to 226 891 tonnes (−1.4%). Imports of milk grew the most (+69.5%); imports of milk products rose only slightly (by 1.8% for acidified milk products and by 3.8% for cheese and curd) and imports of butter decreased (−4.1%). Exports went down for milk (−2.9%) and acidified milk products (−0.7%) while they increased by 2.8% for cheese and curd and even by 60.7% for butter. The main partners in trade in milk and milk products were Germany and Slovakia (for both directions), Poland (imports) and Italy (exports).
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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..


Notes:
Published data are final, except external trade data.
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, phone +420 274 052 331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Source: Livestock Slaughtering (Czech Statistical Office), Cattle Breeding Figures (Czech Statistical Office), Pig Breeding Figures (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 October 2014
End of data processing: 27 October 2014
Following tabl es: /csu/czso/livestock-slaughtering-july-2014-32is9yfum8
/csu/czso/cattle-breeding-figures-1st-half-of-2014-0epm99z4kv
/csu/czso/pig-breeding-figures-1st-half-of-2014-mp3h5lrp9e
/csu/czso/agricultural-producer-price-indices-september-2014-4lsyyxf1vv
Date of the next News Release publication: 3 0 January 2015

This press release was not edited for language.

Published: 31.10.2014
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.