Czech Republic: A better harvest of 5,950 tonnes of hops is expected this year after the previous two weaker years

Czech hop growers expect a better harvest this year after the previous two weaker years, Bohumil Pazler, chairman of the Czech Hop Growers Association, was quoted as saying by ČTK on August 8.

Last year's hop harvest amounted to 5,630 tonnes, and this year around 5.950 tonnes of hops may be harvested, he said.

Hops are grown on 5.345 ha this year. Growers expect a per ha yield of 1.08 to 1.1 tonnes on average, against last year's 1.04 tonnes.

Hop prices are expected to grow by 15 to 20 percent year-on-year. Farmers want a minimum of Kc180.000 to Kc200.000 a tonne to cover their input costs and eliminate the strong crown effects.

Around 80 percent of the hop harvest is exported.

The hop fields rank the Czech Republic third after Germany and the USA. Hops were grown on 51.000 ha in the world last year.

12 August, 2008