Archive of articles - July 1997

Argrokomplex fair in Nitra like "Agro-Disney"

Sitting on the northern border of Slovakia's bread-basket, an area of flat cultivated land stretching to the Danube River, thousands of people descend on the city of Nitra (90 km east of Bratislava, for what one promoter described as "Agro-Disney."The gates of the 24th annual Agrokomplex, a huge week-long agriculture and food fair, will open on August 14. Agrokomplex '97 will host 783 companies from 24 countries, presenting their products and services in the agriculutural sector. The exhibition area of Agrokomplex is the largest in Slovakia, exactly 148.5 hectares.The greatest number of exhibitors this year are dairy, meat and wine producers. Agrokomplex showcases agriculture industry technology, products, machines, and working units outside in an open space. Visitors, both specialists and the general public, can make their way through a forest of combines, tractors, plows and other machinery. Three huge halls display local exhibits along with international ones in an atmosphere that breeds trade.

January - May foreign trade totals 268 bn Sk

Around Slovakia

Flood danger chases people awayKayaker is flood's first victimStatues of Tiso and Hlinka erectedKremnica may see gold rush again

Agriculture policy not an obstacle to EU

The wide halls of the Slovak Ministry of Agriculture are bustling at 4 p.m. Most government offices at this time in the day are as quiet as if it were Sunday. Teams of people coming out of meeting rooms with colleagues still arguing, rumpled shirts, crooked ties and tired eyes are all trademarks in a day's work when trying to integrate into the European Union's complex agriculture policy.Jumping in and out of his chair Anton Pitoňák, director of the Agriculture Ministry's EU integration department, epitomizes this work effort. "Our agriculture policy is not a stumbling block for EU integration," Pitoňák said. "We are simply too small a country, with a small agricultural output, to pose any problems to EU countries."There are problems and sticking points according to Pitoňák, but he believed that if the "top policy makers take us in the right direction," issues in agriculture would be solved.

Analysis shows manufacturing sector stagnates

Mečiar reacts humbly to NATO omission

While in Madrid, Premier Vladimír Mečiar accepted the closing of NATO's door into his and Slovakia's face calmly like a statesman. At the same time, however, a feverish hunt for a culprit was launched at home. "I don't consider it a tragedy at all, because being among the invited with a promise of full membership in 1999 doesn't necessarily mean fulfilling all the conditions for membership by 1999," Mečiar said in an interview for Radio Twist in Madrid. "The break between this round and the next round will be two years," he added, hinting that Slovakia will be there in 1999.Foreign Minister Zdenka Kramplová seconded Mečiar's mood. "I think we should view it positively," she said. Stating that Slovakia wasn't excluded for good, Kramplová added that Slovakia will continue cooperating with NATO within the Partnership for Peace framework and in the Euro-atlantic Partnership Council. "We will do everything to send a signal that we are prepared to join NATO in the next wave," she said.

Nafta, Bank Austria sign $10m loan

New products, aggressive marketing brings Rajo to paradise

The dairy producer Rajo's production plant on the outskirts of Bratislava resembles a study in climate control. In one room the temperature stays fixed at just two degrees Celsius. Through an iron door into the next room the heat is unbearable as machines pushing yogurt and milk through different packaging stages elevate the thermometer.Hot could be a way to describe Rajo's recent success since 1996 was the first year the company got out of the black. Rajo had a revenue of 1.1 billion Sk ($36 million) with a modest profit before taxes of 2.9 million Sk ($96,000). Production of yogurt increased 15 percent compared to 1995.Rajo has been able to turn things around because it has expanded its distribution throughout the whole country and marketed aggressively. It has also consistently added new products to reach an expanded customer base.

Grain harvest expected to yield around 3.5 million tons

Pensions increased by 10%

Milk production drops 40 percent due to low demand

The Slovak milk and dairy industry has had to face the reality that a government with no cash cannot support the free flow of milk any more.The Velvet Revolution in 1989 brought a rapid decline in the production and consumption of milk and dairy products, caused by a dramatic rise in prices. This drop in consumption is alarming since people aren't getting the neccessary yearly amount of dairy products according to the Ministry of Health. The recommended yearly consumption of milk and dairy products per person is 220 kilograms but in 1997 it is expected to be just 161.2 kilograms per person (see chart 2).If people do not start consuming more milk and dairy products there could be a serious health problem in the future. "A long-term low consumption of milk and dairy products will cause serious nourishment problems in our people's heath," said Peter Zaška, secretary of the Slovak Association of Dairy Producers.

Highway loan being prepared

Alternatives abound at Rybársky Cech

Below the castle and parliament, and across the road from the River Danube sit three restaurants, all of which offer delightful choices. Rybársky Cech is the more informal of the two fish restaurants, and also contains a pension. Located at the far end of the building is Twist Steakhouse, and upstairs the more elegant fish restaurant, also called Rybársky Cech.Both of the fish restaurants serve a wide selection of dishes, including a large choice of fish; and the steak house is earning a well-deserved reputation. All this makes it sometimes hard to get into the small steak house, and the elegant upstairs restaurant is popular for private parties.The informal restaurant/pension - Rybársky Cech - is clean and bright, with fish tanks and abstract fish scenes creating a nice atmosphere. We did not see a no-smoking section, but none of the tables had ashtrays.

Forex reserves reach '97 peak at $5.78 bn

"Proper planning prevents poor performance"

Once objectives and strategies are set, it's time to develop planning. "Proper planning prevents poor performance" form the 5 P's of marketing. Plans bring life to objectives and strategies. If you want your business to succeed, plan everything you do, and have contingency plans should "option A" not work out. Some people call this being fanatical. I call it good business practice.The easiest way to become an efficient planner is to think like a chess player: (1) support the overall strategy by every move you make, (2) copy past successes but be creative, (3) think ahead to anticipate every possible move and (4) take back a move if it's not working.(1) Support the overall strategy. One of the most important things to check when it comes to planning is consistency. Every chess move contributes to the overall gameplan. Always ask yourself: does the suggested step jive with the strategy?

Slovak firms invested 3.4bn Sk abroad

Liptov's Water World

Looking up at the Low Tatra mountains while standing at the bank of the Liptov Mara lake you need to shield your eyes from the blinding reflection of the sun off the water. There is a calm silence, just the rustle from regular waves. The image of the sun is suddenly blurred by a splash of a silver fish jumping out above the water. The air is filled with the scent of wild flowers mixed with the wet smell of water. A white sail slowly disappears in the distance. All this is possible because of a dam that made the lake.As the waters of the Váh River slowly built up from a dam, 13 villages in the Liptov region faded from existence. What formed is Slovakia's largest body of water, a 27 km2 water reservoir called Liptovská Mara (Liptov Sea). The water project had a lot of defenders but also quite a few opponents especially in the villages that were flooded and other neighboring villages.

VÚB Kupón remains united

Quality animal feed can compete in the EU

The rugged mountainous terrain in Slovakia doesn't provide the vast fertile land that produces large harvests in Hungary and Poland who then look to the large European market to sell to. Slovakia hardly exports at all to anyone. But there is one area that Slovak farmers are trying to push for exporting: animal feed.According to the Ministry of Agriculture , animal feed produced in Slovakia is at equal or higher quality than in EU countries. This provides a rare opportunity for Slovak agriculture to compete in the EU."The high quality is due to putting the newest knowledge from scientific research to use in growing and production of animal feed," said Ivan Lichuar, director of the animal feed institute in Ivánka near Bratislava. "The animal feed industry is well developed in Slovakia," he said. "There are many large-scale production facilities, but also a growing number of small-scale producers. That means competition, which has pushed quality to new heights."