Presented by the HOP GROWERS UNION OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN ZATEC ON SEPTEMBER 4^TH 2009

          THE 2009 HOP HARVEST IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

According to the data of the Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture the total harvested acreage in the Czech Republic was 5307 ha, which means a decrease of 28 ha compared to the year 2008. Variety SAAZ remains the main variety grown on the 87,18 % of the total acreage. New hop plants were planted on the acreage of 257ha, i.e. 4,84 %, mostly in the Saaz hop growing region (199 ha), Auscha hop growing region (33 ha) and Tirschitz hop growing region (25 ha).

Czech hop acreage without major changes

The total hop acreage in the Czech Republic stays at the 2008 level. Further slight decrease is recorded only with the Saaz variety especially in the Saaz hop growing region. According to the information of the Central Institute for Testing and Supervising in Agriculture the total acreage on 30^th April 2009 was 5305 ha.

In comparison to the harvested acreage in 2008 this means a reduction of 30 ha. Saaz variety accounts for the majority of the acreage with 4627 ha (decrease of 111 ha), variety Premiat accounts for 239 ha (increase of 26 ha) and variety Sladek accounts for 275 ha (increase of 36 ha). There was also an increase of the Agnus variety by 6 ha to a total of 58 ha.

Czech hop growers produced 6752,79 t of hops in 2008

Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture announced the final crop results. Due to favorable growing conditions in 2008 the total harvest reached 6752,79 of hops.

In the Saaz hop growing region the total hop production was 4576,24 t, in the Auscha hop growing region the total production was 960,41 t and in the Tirschitz hop growing region the hop production was 1215,84 t.

Czech hops at BRAU Beviale

Hop Growers Union of the Czech Republic will present Czech hop growing industry at BRAU Beviale 2008 (Hall 1, Stand 534)

As last year the Hop Growers Union wants to promote at its stand the protected designation of origin ZATECKY CHMEL (SAAZ HOPS) which was last year approved by the EU.