ČR is very dependent on imports of fruit, vegetables

Prague, Feb 8 (CTK) - The Czech Republic is very dependent on imports of fruit and vegetables, including the kinds traditionally grown in the country, and it imported Kc22.5bn worth vegetables, fruits and nuts last year, according to Czech Statistical Office (CSU) data.

The highest amount of fruits, vegetables and nuts is imported from Spain. Czech authorities have already started to realise the unfavourable development. The Agriculture Ministry recently presented a long-term strategy whose part are measures for higher self-sufficiency in fruits and vegetables.

According to Agriculture Ministry data, almost two thirds of the domestic consumption of vegetables and roughly a quarter of the consumption of fruit came from imports in 2011.

Vegetables worth over Kc10bn were imported last year, a fifth of them from Spain. The Netherlands with Kc1.7bn came second. Imports from Germany and Poland also exceeded Kc1bn.

The highest amount of fruits and nuts was also imported from the Pyrenean peninsula and Italy was the second most important fruit supplier to the Czech Republic.

Exotic fruits make up a large part of fruit imports but large amounts of temperate climate fruit are also imported.

"As for fresh temperate climate fruit, I estimate our self-sufficiency at around 40 percent," Fruit Growers Union chairman Martin Ludvik told CTK.

By pears, for example, the Czech Republic covers only one fifth of its consumption. "This is a sad situation for our traditional kind of fruit," Ludvik noted, adding that the situation was similar by plums, peaches and apricots.

Fruit consumption has been falling in the Czech Republic in the last few years as people try to save. From the thus far record 90.4 kilogrammes per capita in 2009, fruit consumption sank by 13 percent to 79 kilogrammes per capita within two years.

Apple consumption tumbled the most. In particular Czech producers are losing their market position as apple imports reached a new record last year. Apples contribute roughly 30 percent to fresh fruit consumption. Oranges and mandarins follows with some 13 kilogrammes per capita a year.

Vegetable areas in the Czech Republic sank by almost 30 percent in the last ten years - from around 12,700 hectares in 2002 to the current 9,171 hectares.

Vegetable imports soared by over a half and now roughly two thirds of domestic consumption of vegetables are covered from imports. Vegetable growers complain in particular about the market's opening when the Czech Republic joined the EU because some EU countries support the segment more than the Czech Republic.

The high share of imported vegetables is not being cut also due to the shortage of processing capacities. Vegetable growers claim that the situation got worse upon the EU entry when vegetables started to be imported not only from Poland but also from western Europe. The expansion of large retail chains made the situation even worse.

The Agriculture Ministry wants to redistribute subsidies as of 2014 so that, apart from the now predominating cereals and rape, farmers grow again more of other crops that are more demanding on work, in particular fruit and vegetables. This would also help create jobs in rural areas.

Growers welcome the plan. "This document needs to be incorporated into the legislation for implementing the EU's Common Agricultural Policy in the Czech Republic," Ludvik said.

For fruit growers, in particular support to investments into orchards and storing will be important, but also, for example, into fruit processing by the farms themselves, he added.