Food crops appear hit by harshening weather

Farmers in Slovakia have only harvested some 12 percent of thick-sown cereals and 38 percent of rapeseed, so it's too premature to evaluate the yields; but it's already obvious that they will be lower than last year due to drought, Slovak Food and Agricultural Chamber chairman Milan Semančík said Tuesday. Speaking alongside Prime Minister Robert Fico at a harvest check in Madunice (Trnava region), Semančík said: "It's necessary to wait for the harvest to be concluded in northern regions. As for the preliminary results, the yields are 20 percent down in terms of cereals, and rapeseed is down 30 percent. However, it's a comparison to last year, when we had record-breaking yields. Long term, what's been harvested now is at the level of the five-year average". Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek, who was accompanying Fico, promised farmers that they'll receive maximum support from the Government. He noted that all support mechanisms approved by the Cabinet will take effect this year. "This concerns significant support for breeding of livestock and special production. So, farmers should finally begin earning far more than they have to date", said Jahnátek. His words were echoed by Fico, who stated that the Government will strive to boost the presence of Slovak food in shops. "We want to create as many jobs as possible in agriculture. The agriculture ministry has prepared special programmes to that effect, with the possibility of drawing EU funds for this purpose", said Fico.