Agriculture - 1st quarter of 2018

Meat production slightly increased, prices of pigs for slaughter were low

30.04.2018
Code: 270149-18
 

In Q1 2018 the meat production amounted to 108 735 tonnes (+2.8%, year-on-year); it consisted of 17 410 tonnes of beef (+1.8%), 51 978 tonnes of pigmeat (+0.6%), and 39 271 tonnes of poultrymeat (+6.2%). Prices of cattle for slaughter rose by 3.3%, y-o-y, while they were distinctly lower than in Q1 2017 for pigs for slaughter (by 12.3%); chicken for slaughter were by 2.9% cheaper. Milk collection from producers reached 736 910 thousand litres (+3.5%); price of milk grew by 15.8%, y-o-y, and reached 9.09 CZK per litre.
 

Slaughtering and meat production

In Q1 2018 the number of slaughtered cattle accounted for 57.1 thous. head (by 1.0% less, y-o-y), of which 22.7 thous. were bulls (+1.5%), 26.2 thous. were cows (−2.6%) and 5.9 thous. were heifers (−3.6%). The total beef production amounted to 17 410 tonnes (+1.8%). This slight increase of the production was caused by the weight of slaughtered animals which rose on average by 15.1 kg per head.

The long-term decreasing trend in the number of slaughtered pigs (563.0 thous. head; −1.5%) was in Q1 2018, similarly to the situation in cattle, compensated by higher weight of slaughtered animals (121.0 kg per head; including sows) and thus pigmeat production went minutely up to 51 978 tonnes (+0.6%).

The poultrymeat production in Q1 2018 increased, y-o-y, to 39 271 tonnes (+6.2%).
 

Cattle, pig, and poultry numbers

The number of cattle in the Czech Republic at the beginning of Q1 2018 was 1 366.4 thous. head; i.e. by 2.0% more, y-o-y. Slight increases were recorded in all age categories: by 2.4% for cattle up to 1 year, by 1.4% for those aged 1 to 2 years and by 2.0% for those over 2 years. The numbers went down, y-o-y, for replacement heifers (−1.1%) and for dairy cows (−0.5%) while the number of other (beef) cows increased (+6.4%) as well as the number of bulls for fattening (+6.2%).

The number of pigs rose to 1 531.7 thous. head (+3.5%), y-o-y, of which the number of sows by 3.6%. The number of piglets increased even by 14.9%; therefore piglets became a commodity destined also for foreign markets. The number of pigs for fattening remained at the same level, y-o-y (−0.2%), although the weight category 50 to 80 kg recorded a decline by 9.4%.

The number of poultry at the beginning of Q1 2018 was almost the same, y-o-y (+0.9%) and it accounted for 21 949.4 thous. head; the number of laying hens went up by 9.6% to 4 965.3 thous. head.
 

Agricultural producer prices of cattle, pigs and chicken for slaughter

Agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter in Q1 2018 went slightly up for all categories: by 1.6% for bulls, by 2.7% for heifers, by 5.8% for cows and by 9.4% for calves. The producers sold bulls for slaughter for the average price 47.86 CZK per kg of live weight or 87.10 CZK per kg of carcass weight.

In Q1 2018, the decline in agricultural producer prices of pigs for slaughter continued. There was a drop by 12.3%, y-o-y, to an average value 27.54 CZK per kg of live weight or 35.80 CZK per kg of carcass weight. Compared to Q4 2017, the average price went down by 4.49 CZK per kg of carcass weight.

Agricultural producer prices of chicken for slaughter were by 2.9% below the level of Q1 2017. Chicken for slaughter of the first quality class were sold on average for 23.28 CZK per kg of live weight.
 

External trade in live animals and meat

According to preliminary results, external trade1) in live animals in weight units in the period from December 2017 to February 2018 reached a positive balance (18 021 tonnes for cattle, 8 571 tonnes for pigs, and 10 236 tonnes for poultry).

The turnover of trade in live cattle went up, y-o-y; imports (1.6 thous. head) are persistently negligible compared to exports (54.1 thous. head). Exports of animals for further rearing rose, y-o-y, to 32.9 thous. head (+14.4%); it was recorded especially in the category of young cattle and calves. Exports of animals for slaughter increased as well (to 18.4 thous. head and 12 130 tonnes; +11.0 % in live weight). Young cattle were exported mainly to Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia; calves to Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany; and animals for slaughter to Austria and Germany.

External trade1) with live pigs noticed distinct year-on-year changes, which resulted in increased surplus of their trade. Although there were no changes in categories typically exported and imported, as pigs up to 50 kg (piglets) still prevailed in imports and animals over 50 kg (mostly for slaughter) in exports; however, a distinct decline in imports and increase in exports occurred in both categories. There were 38.0 thous. head of piglets (−27.8%) weighing on average 26.3 kg imported and 29.4 thous. head (+74.8%) were exported. Imports of pigs for slaughter dropped to an insignificant number. Their exports went up to 74.4 thous. head and 8 811 tonnes of live weight (+33.0%); this  amount, expressed in carcass weight, corresponds to approximately one tenth of the total quarterly pigmeat production. Piglets came from Germany and Denmark; both piglets and pigs for slaughter were exported to Hungary, Germany, and Slovakia and piglets also to Romania.

External trade1) with live poultry reached a positive balance both in day-old juveniles and in poultry for slaughter. Imports of day-old chicks decreased to one half (1.5 million head), y-o-y, and their exports rose by 10.6% to 23.6 million head. Chicken were exported mainly to Slovakia (meat type), Romania and Poland (both meat and laying types). Exports of chicken for slaughter noticed a y-o-y decline by 29.5% to 3 531 tonnes, while exports of turkeys for slaughter rose to 3 617 tonnes (+48.1%). Exports of poultry for slaughter went mainly to Germany (turkeys) and Slovakia (chicken).
 

The negative balance of external trade1) in meat deepened, y-o-y, in all three types: to −6 316 tonnes for beef, to −57 001 tonnes for pigmeat, and to −23 028 tonnes for poultrymeat.

Imports of beef accounted for 8 873 tonnes (+6.9%); it came mostly from the Netherlands, Poland and Germany. In total 2 556 tonnes (−1.9%) were exported, of which one half to Slovakia; further exports went to the Netherlands and Poland.

The negative balance of trade with pigmeat deepened, y-o-y, mainly due to lower exports. There were 63 786 tonnes (+1.9%) imported from Germany, Spain and Poland; and 6 785 tonnes (−24.7%) were exported, mostly to Slovakia.

A similar situation was observed also for poultrymeat: its imports increased (to 27 925 tonnes; +5.2%) and exports significantly declined (to 4 897 tonnes; −36.6%). Poultrymeat came traditionally from Poland but the share of its imports from Hungary newly rose. There was a drop in exports to Slovakia but exports to Germany and Austria were up.
 

Milk collection and agricultural producer prices of milk

In total 736 910 thousand litres of milk (+3.5%) were collected in Q1 2018 from domestic producers, of which 629 439 thousand litres by dairies (+4.1%). Agricultural producer prices of milk were by 15.8% higher than in Q1 2017. Producers sold milk of Q quality class for the average price of 9.09 CZK per litre.
 

External trade in milk and milk products

Considerable surplus in external trade1) in milk and milk products rose, y-o-y, to 197 837 tonnes. Imports dropped to 55 909 tonnes (−10.0%) and exports slightly increased to 253 746 tonnes (+3.3%). These changes correspond with the changes in the trade in the most important commodity, i.e. milk. Imports of the remaining commodities was higher, y-o-y (+24.9% for acidified milk products, +3.2% for cheese and curd, and +0.2% for butter). Exports of acidified milk products declined by 6.2% but, on the contrary, they went up for butter (+33.1%) and cheese and curd (+8.6%). Germany and Slovakia were the most important trade partners for both directions together with Poland for imports and Italy for 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.

Responsible head: Jiří Hrbek, Director of Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Statistics Department, phone (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, phone (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Data source:
-  Statistical survey of the CZSO on livestock slaughtering (Zem 1-12)
End of data collection: 10 April 2018
End of data processing: 25 April 2018
-  Statistical survey of the CZSO on cattle production (Zem 1-02), on pig production (Zem2-02), and on poultry production (Zem3-01)
-  Public Database of the CZSO: Prices of Agriculture (table Agricultural Producer Price Indices and table Average Agricultural Price)
-  External Trade Database of the CZSO
-  Outcomes of statistical surveys of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic on milk collection (Mlék(MZe) 6-12, Odbyt(MZe)6-12) and on poultry purchase (Drůb (MZe) 4-12)
Related outcomes:
Livestock Slaughtering https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/livestock-slaughtering-february-2018; publication date of the detailed March figures: 7 May 2018
Cattle Production https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/cattle-production-2nd-half-of-2017
Pig Production https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/pig-production-as-at-31-december-2017
Poultry Production https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/poultry-production-2017
Date of the next News Release publication: 30 July 2018

Text was not edited for language.

 

  •      azem043018.docx

  • Annexes:
  • Table 1 Meat production and milk collection
  • Chart 1 Beef – production and average agricultural producer prices
  • Chart 2 Pigmeat – production and average agricultural producer prices
  • Chart 3 Poultrymeat – production and average agricultural producer prices
  • Chart 4 Milk – collection and average agricultural producer prices
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Published: 30.04.2018
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.


Contact: Information Services Unit - Headquarters, tel.: +420 274 056 789, email: infoservis@czso.cz