Government aiming to strengthen state’s food reserves

The government is planning systemic changes aimed at strengthening the state’s food reserves in the event of a crisis, Czech Television reported, citing government officials. According to the national broadcaster, at present the Czech Republic has only 1.5 days' supply of meat in state warehouses. In future, it should have enough for at least 15 days. While meat is now stored frozen, the government wants to negotiate with farmers to reserve live animals which could be culled in the event of a crisis. "The state would pay farmers a reservation fee for part of their herd and the actual purchase would only take place when the state need these stocks,"  Pavel Švagr, head of the State Material Reserves Administration told Czech Television. On the other hand, the state has more than forty days' worth of cereals in the state material reserves, long enough to tide the country over until the next harvest.