May 4, 2022

 

Czech Republic's pork at risk of losing out if government does not intervene, farmers say

 

 

The number of pigs on farms in the Czech Republic had dropped by around 10,000 in 2021 —  a decline that farmers blame on rising prices of energy, fuel and fertilisers.

 

They warned that if the government doesn't intervene, Czech pork may slowly disappear from the market.

 

It's not only fuel and energy prices that are rising – some food staples are also getting more expensive.

 

However, the most worrying for Czech farmers and butchers is that meat production has also been badly affected by rising prices. Especially concerning for Czechs is the rising price of pork. They consume around 43kg of the meat a year per capita according to Czech Statistics Office data — more than any other type of meat.

 

"Realistically speaking, we lose about a thousand crowns on every pig we produce, and still, we are not able to sell it on the Czech market," one farm owner said.

 

Robert Erlebach, chairman of the Regional Agrarian Council of the Liberec Region, thinks that domestic farmers need to be supported so that stocks don't decline. Speaking to Czech Television, he warns of the consequences if they are not.

 

"...it's a matter of two or three years before Czech pork is not even available any longer," Erlebach claimed.

 

As a result of the rising cost of producing meat, Czech butchers are having to deal with fluctuating prices, shortages of certain types of meat and a decline in consumer interest. Sales from Czech butchers reportedly fell by as much as a fifth in recent months.

 

Retailers said that customers are seeking out discounts or buying cheaper products in an effort to save money, and there have also been reports of people bypassing the supply chain altogether and buying meat directly from farmers, sometimes in quantities as large as half an entire pig.

 

 

- Radio Prague International