zech News Agency | 17 May 2010

Prague, May 16 (CTK) – Farms of foreign owners control more than 6 percent of the total Czech farmland area of 3.6 million hectares, weekly Euro says in its latest issue to be published on Monday, referring to data of the Czech Statistical Office (CSU).

There are over 378 farms controlled or partly owned by foreign entities which operate on nearly 230,000 hectares of Czech farmland, Euro says.

Foreigners acquired Czech land during a seven-year moratorium which the Czech Republic negotiated before its entry into the European Union.

Under the moratorium, which is to expire on May 1 next year, foreigners are banned from buying farmland and forests in the Czech Republic.

However, land can be bought by EU citizens which have lived and worked as farmers in the Czech Republic for at least three years, and by legal entities with foreign owners which are based in the country.

“From the total amount of 230 thousand hectares, 201 farms which are 100-percent owned by foreigners account for 28.6 thousand (hectares),” Jiri Hrbek from the CSU told Euro.

Foreigners have mostly set up limited liability companies in the Czech Republic. The remaining 177 farms controlling 201,000 hectares are owned jointly by Czechs and foreigners.

However, no statistics cover the area of Czech land which foreigners control based on an agreement on a future contract, waiting for the end of the moratorium when they will be able to legalise their ownership, Euro says.

Foreigners can also acquire land through intermediaries from the state-run Land Fund which is in charge of land privatisation. The fund has transferred around 500,000 hectares of land into private ownership so far.

“We don’t know to what extent foreigners participate in this,” Land Fund head Radim Zika said.

There is now around 270,000 hectares of land under the Land Fund’s management. The fund wants to privatise 53,000 hectares of land this year and 140,000 hectares early next year.

The Czech Republic negotiated the seven-year temporary ban on the purchase of land by foreigners during its entry in the EU to gain time to resolve restitution claims and enable local citizens to acquire land first.

Czech left- and right-wing political parties disagree over whether the Czech Republic should seek to extend the moratorium, as was done by Hungary and Slovakia, for example.

The leftist Social Democrats (CSSD) are in favour of extending the moratorium, while the rightist Civic Democrats (ODS) and TOP 09 are against the extension.

Via: http://farmlandgrab.org

Posted: 20 May 2010 under Agribusiness worldwide, Europe.
Comments: none

A video documentary of 1h20 minutes worthwhile to watch.

Do you know the secrets of this element? Where does it come from? Did u know that due to water a plant can break through the cement?

Water is more than a physical substance. Water is life. Nothing is yielding as water.

Water reacts to our emotions.

Go asap here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4947261865733171856#. You will love it.

Posted: 18 May 2010 under Editorial.
Comments: 1

I am pleased to tell you that in June this year, on the 17th and 18th, in fact, I am organising a conference on the agribusiness potential of Romania.

Since joining the EU in 2007, Romania has accelerated its economic progress and is in a superbe geographical location to link Europe to the growing markets in the Middle East and Asia, Western Europe or worldwide. Romania is going to be revealed from many different angles of its agricultural potential with eminent Romanian speakers such as ex-Minister of Agriculture, Dr Valeriu Tabara and University professor Dr Mihai Berca.

We will also look at the financial and legal structures needed to succeed in business in Romania based on contributions from professional institutions, specialists of agricultural sectors, agri-traders etc. We will also be able to listen and question business-men who are already active in this type of enterprise and happy to share their experience with us. A field trip to one or two farms and a local food processor is included to those interested in the practical details.

Our aim is to link Romanian agri players and specialists to international parties interested to invest in Romanian agribusiness.

The Conference will be chaired by Mr Alastair Dickie, a respected commentator with 35-years commercial experience in agricultural trading and analysis of the markets around the world.

I would be grateful your suggestions for topics that you like to hear discussed at such a conference.

The conference is to be held at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Bucharest and you can register immediately for €590 (conference day on June 17th and field trip on June 18th 2010) or €490 (only conference day) by emailing me now on dana.bucur@mail.com.

Thank you for your interest in agribusiness Romania.

Kind Regards

Dana Bucur

Posted: 8 April 2010 under Agribusiness worldwide, Dana Bucur 2010 - conferences, fairs, workshops etc, Dana Bucur articles, Romania.
Comments: none