The Slovak Agriculture and Food Chamber (SPPK) stated that it considers it "alarming that, according to data provided by the EU, food safety in Slovakia is only at 47 percent", said SPPK chairman Dušan Janíček on June 27, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
"The findings of our chamber seem even more frightening – only 32.4 percent of food products on the internal market in 2010 were made in Slovakia ... While this share stood at 42.8 percent in 2008, it was 39.4 percent in 2009 and 7 percent less last year," Janíček said at the press conference.
"The domestic market is becoming an outlet market for foreign goods in this way but also for the implementation of added value produced abroad. This means that the number of production units in Slovakia is going down as they don't have scope to place their products on food chain shelves. This has led to falling employment in the Slovak food industry," he stated.
He also added that less than 25 percent of animal fodder is of domestic origin which he blames on the pressure of globalisation and the increased complexity of the way in which supply and demand develop.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
