Agricultural Economics, 2009 (vol. 55), issue 2
Impact of the investment grants from the European funds on the development of agriculture and rural areas
S. Buchta, T. Buchta
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2009, 55(2):59-66 | DOI: 10.17221/584-AGRICECON 
The article describes the impact of the Sectoral Operational Programme Agriculture and Rural Development and the Rural Development Plan 2004-2006 on the rural development in 2004-2007. In addition to the implementation analysis of these programming documents, the article also describes territorial distribution of direct subsidies and state aid over the monitored period of 2004-2007. A summarized overview is given for the drawdown of all types of subsidies and their proportionate amounts. The evaluation of all subsidies has shown that most of them were paid to the Northern and Eastern parts of Slovakia, due to the agroenvironmental and direct payments...
Economic development in Slovak agriculture
Z. Chrastinová, V. Burianová
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2009, 55(2):67-76 | DOI: 10.17221/580-AGRICECON
The article discusses economic development of Slovak agriculture in the period after the accession of Slovakia to the EU and after adopting the CAP. It evaluates agriculture as a whole and its contribution to the national economy, as well as the economic performance of the individual legal forms of business and production sectors. The results achieved by agriculture in 2004-2007 suggest that the income within the sector (except of 2005) has improved also due to the inflow of the EU subsidies. On the other hand, despite the growing aid the production output is shrinking, wages stagnate and the employment is falling. This suggests that the CAP should...
Diversification of farm business
Š. Buday, Z. Federičová, R. Vajcíková
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2009, 55(2):77-83 | DOI: 10.17221/583-AGRICECON
One of the measures of the Sectoral Operational Programme Agriculture and Rural Development is focused on the diversification of agricultural activities. The analysis of the measure showed the greatest interest in financial support among the subjects aimed at agritourism and rural tourism. The field of tourism dominates also among the number of the approved projects. The share of other diversification activities is very low. The analysis of other profitable activities in the Farm Structure Census and Farm Structure Survey by the type of activities shows that the total number of agricultural enterprises with other profitable activities decreased in...
Selected aspects of the internal and external competitiveness of Slovak agricultural and food products
D. Matošková, J. Gálik
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2009, 55(2):84-93 | DOI: 10.17221/579-AGRICECON
The article describes the competitiveness of Slovak agricultural and food products after the accession of the Slovak Republic into the EU. The analysis has shown that even despite the increased subsidization and full liberalisation of trade, the competitiveness of our products still needs to develop. The main reason behind this is the poor efficiency of production and the lack of innovation activities. Most agricultural commodities are profitable only because of subsidies. Processing industry is the main contributor to the worsening deficit of trade balance. Specific commodities with good sales potential in the EU market include cereals, malt, wheat...
Selected food verticals and their impact on prices of food products
S. Krížová
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2009, 55(2):94-101 | DOI: 10.17221/581-AGRICECON
The article deals with the analysis of food market on the level of consumer prices structure, through the identification of margins in the selected food verticals and through the analysis of consumer behaviour associated with changes in prices and income of population. The article also discusses the factors which may affect the current growing trend in prices of food in the SR and worldwide and subsequently, the reduction of gap between the Slovak and the EU prices.
The agrienvironmental programme in Slovakia, in 2004-2006
M. Brodová
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2009, 55(2):102-109 | DOI: 10.17221/582-AGRICECON
Main objective of the agrienvironmental measures is to support the environmentally acceptable farming methods, the application of soil protection methods, as well as the protection and maintaining of biodiversity in agricultural landscape. The project measure Agrienvironment and animal welfare conditions in the 2004-2006 programming period was the one that attracted the highest number of applications. The total area of land farmed in compliance with the requirements under the agrienvironmental measure represented about one fifth of the total area of agricultural land in Slovakia by the end of 2006. The largest portion of the area has been farmed by...