Datenbank der Projekte zur ländlichen Entwicklung

This project is designed to reduce vineyard pesticide costs. Funds released are invested in better protection of vineyards and modern technology. Negative impacts on the environment have been reduced and increased economic viability is expected.

Kosík Winery is a family owned wine farm in South Moravia, (a traditional wine region on the border of the Czech Republic). The farm was established over 100 years ago and originally very small. Today it is a 17ha farm, which processes 100 tonnes of grapes and produces 80,000 litres of wine per annum. In 2009, Mr Kosik decided to switch from conventional to integrated production, responding to some customers’ interest in healthy food products and his personal belief of the importance to reduce the use of chemicals products in agriculture and protect the environment.

The main objective of the project is to switch from conventional to ‘integrated’ production in order to reduce the negative impact of agricultural practices on the environment. A specific objective is to adapt the production system and the farm to the rules established for integrated production.

Aiming to reduce the use of chemical products, pesticides were replaced by biological means of plant protection. In order to meet the requirements of the scheme (in which the farmer participates), a maximum of 50 kg of nitrogen fertilizer can be applied per hectare and trees were planted every second row to prevent soil erosion and improve biological conditions for the vines. Furthermore, important renovation of the processing technology was required to meet the demands of integrated production.

The project is still on going, and initial results have been registered. These include a 50% reduction of production costs (due to the reduced use of pesticides). The farmer considers the results of the transition in his farming system to be positive. Negative impacts on the environment have been reduced, the quality of the wine produced has improved and also – expected in the longer term - the farm’s economic viability will be enhanced.

Integrated production is not well known in the Czech Republic and customers do not always appreciate the improved quality of the wine. Therefore a transition to integrated production will have a more positive reception in regions where consumers already trust it. Though concern for the environment is increasing and with this, the customers’ attention to buy more natural products. In the longer term, the transition of this farm and others is expected to be sustainable despite market doubts.

Czech Republic - The South Moravian Region - villages Tvrdonice and Týnec,

Jihomoravsky kraj

Czech Republic

43 095

34 475

8 620

https://www.ukosiku.cz/vinarstvi

Cyril Kosík

pavel.kosik@seznam.cz

+420 608 760 954

English, German, Czech