Meat – meat processing – illustrative photo.
Prague – Last year, meat production fell by 4.2 percent to 447,317 tons, i.e. to roughly the same level as in 2018. Beef production fell the most by 5.5 percent. Prices of agricultural producers in the fourth quarter rose the most for slaughter pigs, by 49.8 percent year-on-year. Broiler producer prices rose by 29.6 percent and beef cattle prices were 21.7 percent higher year-on-year. It follows from today published data of the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ). Prices of agricultural producers on average for the entire year 2022 increased by 31.8 percent. Last year, the number of pigs also fell significantly by 11 percent, while the number of cattle, on the other hand, increased by 2.3 percent.
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Prices in crop production increased by 37.1 percent year-on-year last year. A significant effect was the increase in the price of cereals by almost 49 percent and oilseeds, which were 40 percent more expensive. The prices of animal products were on average 24.4 percent higher last year. Prices of all types of slaughter cattle rose by 23.5 percent, poultry prices rose by 19.5 percent. Egg prices rose by 28.2 percent.
Beef meat was produced last year at 68,583 tons. 208,634 tons of pork were produced, which is 3.9 percent less year-on-year. 169,964 tons of poultry meat were produced, which is 4.1 percent less year-on-year. The purchase of milk increased by 1.4 percent to 3.089 billion liters last year.
According to the CZSO, consumption of beef decreased by 5.7 percent, pork by 0.4 percent, and poultry by 3.9 percent in 2022. “The sharp increase in prices that occurred in 2022 was probably the most fundamental reason for the year-on-year decline in the estimated consumption of beef and poultry. Pork consumption remained at a similar level to 2021, as lower production was largely offset by higher imports,” said Markéta Fiedlerová from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry Statistics.
Statisticians drew attention to a significant year-on-year drop in pig breeding. There were 165,000 head, which is a drop of 11 percent to 1.329 million pigs. The number of sows decreased by 10,000 to 77,000, which is 11.8 percent less year-on-year. “The reduction of basic herds in pig farms is accelerating. While at the end of 2020 there were over 92,000 sows in farms and at the end of 2021, just under 87,000, last year it was only 77,000,” said Renata Vodičková, head of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry Statistics .
Cattle stocks increased by 2.3 percent to 1.39 million head. The numbers of milked cows decreased by 1.6 percent, but their productivity increased. Average milk yield last year reached 9,084 liters of milk, year-on-year it was 169 liters of milk per cow. Poultry stocks last year fell by 7.9 percent to 23.76 million pieces, over 96 percent of which are domestic chickens.
In the fourth quarter of last year, the prices of slaughter pigs increased the most, by 49.8 percent. . According to the CZSO, the significant increase reflects a very low comparative base. Farmers received an average of 37.68 CZK per kilogram of live weight and 48.99 CZK per kilogram of slaughter weight.
The prices of broiler chickens increased by 29.6 percent year-on-year. Producers sold quality class I chickens for an average of CZK 30.17 per kilogram of live weight.
The prices of slaughter cattle in the last quarter of last year rose by 21.7 percent year-on-year. Breeders received an average of CZK 57.85 per kilogram live or CZK 105.30 per kilogram slaughter weight for slaughter bulls.
In the last quarter of 2022, milk producer prices rose by 35.5 percent. A liter of quality class Q milk cost an average of CZK 12.63.
