Agriculture Ministry considering further support for pork producers

The Czech Agriculture Ministry is considering additional extraordinary support of more than 400,000 crowns from the state budget for pork and milk producers, Agriculture Minister Marian Jurečka said on Monday. The minister was speaking at the Žofín Forum. But additional support would have to be approved by the European Commission. Pork output in the Czech Republic last year fell by 3.5 percent, mainly as a result of cheap imports. According to Minister Jurečka, the current situation at pig farms in the country is critical. Owing to cheap imports, Czech producers often sell pork below their production costs. Czech cattle and pig farmers are already receiving extraordinary support at the amount of 600 million crowns, half of which comes from the state budget and half from EU funds. Cattle breeders were grappling with low purchasing prices of milk last year. Prices dropped owing to overproduction in Europe, which was caused by the abolition of milk production quotas and also as a result of the continuing Russian embargo on food imports.

Author: Jan Velinger