THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRUCTURE AND NUMBER OF SUGAR BEET GROWERS IN THE AREA OF THE CONTEMPORARY CZECH REPUBLIC

The structure of sugar beet grower community, the absolute numbers of the growers, and the average area per grover have undergone an almost tumultuous development in places since the independent Czechoslovakia was established. The development wasn't natural, but was largely formed not only by the collectivization of agriculture after the year 1948, but also by the return to private soil management after the year 1989. Therefore it is nearly impossible to compare it to the old member states of EU. It is also problematic to evaluate the development of the structure and areas in the Czech Republic itself, because the violent changes in the 1950s were not fully compensated for after the year 1989. Firstly, the Czech Republic lost in the recent decades the privileged position of an excellent sugar exporter, which seriously reduced the total area used for sugar beet, and secondly, the structure of the growers did not return to the original state - a high number of large economic units remained, and with them also a higher average area dedicated to sugar beet, It is a minor, but a sure economic advantage before other countries, in which the average area per grower doesn't even reach ten hectars. [GRAPHICS] However, this avantage is not everlasting, because the countrieswith small average sugar beet areas are also heading towards the standards of states such as the Czech Republic, however without voilent political and economic changes.