Agrarian external trade of the Slovak Republic. Yearbook 2000

The Slovak Republic foreign trade with agrarian commodities in the period 1995-2000 had developed not very favourably. The import of these commodities had expressively higher dynamism than export. The average yearly increase of import value was 1,96 billion SKK, (8.4%) what meat it was 5.85 times higher than the parallel yearly increase of agrarian export. The turnover of agrarian foreign trade in 2000 compared with 1999 increased by 6.5% and gain was mainly due increased import. The negative balance increased by 1 615 mill. SKK yearly. The importance of agricultural commodities in Slovak foreign trade gradually lowered and their portion on total turnover fell from 7.8% in 1995 on 4.7% in 2000. In 2000 unfavourably developed the trade structure, in the portion of so called competitive commodities on the total negative turnover trade balance. It increased inter yearly by 1 111 mill. SKK on 6.2 bill. SKK, what means that when in 1999 their share on negative balance was 41 percent, in 2000 already 44 percent. The territorial structure of Slovak agricultural foreign trade is significantly influenced by existence of Custom Union and also due to non adequate liberal trade policy towards EU and non rational openness of domestic market. The result is non flattering position, that positive trade balance we have only with NIS countries. With all other territories is our agrarian foreign trade passive. The deficit which was made in the previous six years developed by out foreign trade with CEFTA countries was mostly reached due trade in Custom Union, it means with Czech republic. In the case of cancellation or explicit reduction of Custom Union, it should express in distinctive increase in balance deficit of Slovak agrarian foreign trade. Dominant position in Slovak foreign trade still has the Czech Republic, though their portion on total turnover fell from 38.7 percent in 1995 on 36.1% in 2000. Last year mildly decreased the negative balance of agri-food trade with CR by 59 mill. SKK. The import from CR was 33.22% of our total import and export 41.76% of our total agri-food export. The second biggest Slovakia's agri-food trade partner in 2000 was the European Union. In six evaluated years of agrarian foreign trade of SR, only two commodity aggregations (CN chapters) were permanently net-exporting, and on the contrary as far as 17 aggregation were in all six years passive, were net-import in respectively. The highest dynamism net export value was find at milk and milk products (CN 04) due to favourable export policy. The most active results we reached although in mill products and malt export (CN 11) due to insufficient domestic consumption. To the aggregations with permanent negative balance belong fruits (CN 08) and fodder (CN 23), wheat is a characteristic feature of our foreign trade commodity structure already a couple decades. The complex of fruits and vegetables, including processed fruits and vegetables (CN 07, 08 and 20) representing average yearly net-import for 3 929 mill. SKK, i.e. 29 percent from all Slovakia's agri-food sector net-import. The warning development is an increasing meat and offal import (CN 02), tobacco (CN 24), and although of flowers and flowers products (CN 06), where is a lot of space for Slovak entrepreneurs. The structure of Slovakia's agrarian foreign trade not changed explicitly from 1995. In export the dominant position is still kept by milk and milk products, cereals, malt, tobacco products, beverages and cocoa products. On the contrary the decisive import commodities are nuts a fruits, fodder, tobacco, beverages and various food preparations. The Slovakia's agrarian sector importing goods, which are during the followed period in average by one third as far as by one half more expensive as our exported agrarian products. The highest difference between exported and imported prices of followed six year period we registered in class II. CN Plant products, and class IV. CN The products of food processing industry, which getting almost 84% of total Slovak agri-food import. The decisive are mostly the Products of food processing industry with regard to in this call in produced a biggest passive of Slovak' agrarian foreign trade. It is clear in this class we need to look for the future solutions