Attractiveness of stone fruits production in the Czech Republic

Abstract

The paper deals with evaluation of attractiveness of stone fruits production in Czech Republic using the industry attractiveness evaluation matrix according to the methodology of Higgins and Vincze (1989). It was identifies the key criteria for evaluation of attractiveness, described in detail and eva­lua­ted from the viewpoint of a producer operating in the stone fruits production industry. According to the data of the Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture (OTK ÚKZÚZ) for 2008, 1166 entities (companies and growers) farmed on 21 738 hectares of fruit orchards, of which 6 730 ha were aimed on stone fruit production.Total sales for the production of stone fruits decreased by 34.5 % in the period of 2004–2008. Production of stone fruit can be sold through sales co-operatives, to a fruit processing company or in­de­pen­dent­ly. Czech Ministry of Agriculture and the EU through the State Agricultural Intervention Fund stated a range of support programs under which it is possible to apply for funding. Attractiveness of the production of stone fruit is evaluated as below average; the result of the industry attractiveness evaluation matrix for this sector equals 1.84, which is lower than the average score of 3.00.

Keywords

• stone fruit production industry
• production
• attractiveness
• environment
• analysis