Farmers in the Czech Republic are confronting an unprecedented drought that has devastated both grain and feed‑crop harvests. With hay prices soaring to four times their usual level, producers are making the painful decision to reduce their herds.
Rising feed costs force herd reductions
Board chairman Zdenek Duffek of Agropodnik Kosetice, a 2,600‑hectare operation about 90 km southeast of Prague, said the farm needs roughly 11,000 tonnes of haylage each year. “In haylage, we are at about half of the harvest we need to secure our feed stock,” he explained. Even with a carry‑over of 3,000 tonnes from the previous year, the farm will still be short about 1,500 tonnes.
Because of the shortage, Duffek is prioritising his core milk herd and cutting back on breeding bulls. “We have to secure the core herd, the milk cows, we have to give them all we have… We are reducing rearing bulls, and we are trying to sell out this category so we do not have to feed them,” he said.
Hay prices skyrocket
Martin Pycha, chairman of the Czech Agriculture Association, reported that the price of a bale of hay has jumped from around 500 crowns to roughly 2,000 crowns. The surge reflects the scarcity of feed crops caused by the prolonged lack of precipitation.
Higher feed costs are also influencing beef prices, which have begun to decline as supply outpaces demand. The sector faces an estimated loss of 20 billion crowns (about $968 million) in revenue for major commodities this year.
Broader economic pressures
Farmers cite a combination of low milk prices across Europe, soaring fuel and fertiliser costs linked to the United States’ conflict with Iran, and the drought‑induced water shortage as the forces squeezing their cash flow.
Drought conditions have also emptied dams, dried wells, and forced emergency shutdowns of power plants that lack cooling water, further highlighting the widespread impact on the region’s economy.
Looking ahead
With precipitation remaining minimal—often only a millimetre or two when it does fall—Czech farmers face a challenging season ahead. Many are hoping for relief later in the year, but for now, cutting herds and selling young stock appear to be the most viable strategies to stay afloat.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
