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The paper aimed to present the genetic determinism of milk yield traits and age at first calving using a number of 2,237 half sibs, offspring of 989 Friesian bulls and raised in various farms in Romania. Taking into account the peculiarities of half sibs families, it was used a linear mathematical model for unbiased cross classification. Average 305-days milk yield at the first lactation was 3,034.88 ± 14.67 kg, while the average milk fat percentage registered 3.79 ±0.004%. Average 305 days fat yield accounted for 115.12±0.59 kg, average age at first calving regietered 839.25±1.43 days (27.5 months). Between milk yield and fat percentage, it was found a correlation of rG - 0.245, reflecting a weak but positive relation between the two traits. The phenotypic correlation was low and a negative one (rF = -0.181), showing a weak and reverse link between the two traits. Between milk yield and fat yield, both the genotypic and phenotypic correlations were very high and had positive values, rG = 0.971 and rF = 0.964. Between fat percentage and fat yield, it was found a genotypic and phenotypic positive correlation, rG = 0.465, and, respectively, rF = 0.240. The correlation between age at first calving and milk yield was extremely weak and negative, rG = - 0.257 şi rF = - 0.090. Between age at first calving and fat percentage, the correlation was very small and had a negative value (rG = - 0.187) and (rF = - 0.032). Between age at first calving and fat yield, both the genetic and phenotypic correlations were weak and negative (rG = -0.288 and rF = - 0.093). The values of the heritability and genotypic correlations pointed out the effect of the aditive action of the genes, but the phenotypic correlations indicated that some traits were also determined by the environment factors. Cow selection based on milk yield has a positive impact on the future milk performance. In the breeding programmes, age at first calving should not be neglected as it could lead to a decline of production if it does not fit to the optimal thresholds of the the Friesian breed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to present the situation of Romania's vegetable market in the period 2007-2011 based on the statistical data regarding the main vegetables: tomatoes, onion, garlic, cabbage, green peppers and melons. The vegetable production increased by 33.99 from 3,166.8 tons in 2007 to 4,176.3 tons in 2011.This was due to the yield gain as follows: 58.55 % for melons, 27.62 % for green peppers, 27.05 % for tomatoes, 25.99 % for dry garlic, 24.96 % for dry onion, 12.61 % for white cabbage. In 2011, the contribution of various categories of vegetables to production was: 24.55 % white cabbage, 21.81 % tomatoes, 15.45 % melons, 9.44 % onion, 6.06 % green pepper, 1.59 % garlic and 21.1 % other vegetables. The contribution of the micro regions to vegetable production in 2011 was: 19.46 % South Muntenia, 18.95 % South East Romania, 17.30 % South West Oltenia, 15.92 % North East Romania, 10.43 % West Romania, 8.47 % North West Romania, 6.54 % Central Romania, 2.93 % Bucharest Ilfov. Vegetable production per inhabitant is higher in Romania compared to the average production per capita in the EU. The average consumption increased as a postive aspect reflecting the obtained production and import. Vegetable production should increase in order to cover much better the doestic market needs and support export to the EU market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the paper was the analysis of Romania's the agro-food export, import and trade balance by the EU country group and agro-food product group based on the statistical data in the year 2010 in order to identify the commercial relationships with a positive and respectively a negative impact of the trade balance. The EU trade partners were divided into 4 groups: Central Eastern (CE), Western (W), Northern (N) and Southern (S) EU countries and the agro-food product groups were: Live animals and preparations of animal origin, Vegetal products, Fats and oils of vegetal and animal origin, Food, beverages and tobacco. The data were processed using the share and comparison methods. In 2010, Romania registered a negative agro-food trade balance with a deficit of Euro thousand 903,148.This was due to the unefficient commerce with the CE and W EU countries, which together recorded Euro Thousand 1,400,298 deficit. The balance was positively influenced by the Southern EU trade partners whose contribution accounted for Euro thousand 513,953. Therefore, the agro-food trade has to be intensified with the Southern EU countries and to become more relaxed with the CE and W EU countries, especially regarding imports. Live animals are mainly required in the CE and W EU countries, vegetal products in the W and S EU countries, fats and oils in the CE and S EU countries, and finally, food, beverages and tobacco in the S and the CE EU countries. Agro-food imports have to be substantially diminished as long as Romania' s agriculture is able to produce for the internal market and export has to be intensified especially with the countries with a positive impact on the trade balance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper was the analysis of the agro-food foreign trade position in Romania's foreign trade in the period 2005-2010. Agro-food foreign trade registered a fast dynamics, its volume accounting for Euro Million 7,053 in 2010, being by 161 % higher than in 2005. Its share in Romania's foreign trade increased from 3.02 % in 2005 to 8.36 % in 2010. Vegetal products are the best exported goods (52.41 %), followed by food products, beverages and tobacco (28.46 %). Romania's import is mainly dominated by food products, beverages and tobacco (40.34 %) and vegetal products (29.06 %). The EU countries are the main trade partners, accounting for about 80 % both in the export and import value. In 2010, agro-food export accounted for 8.54 % and agro-food import for 9.42 % in Romania's trade with the EU. Romania's agro-food products are mainly exported in Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain and Germany and imports come especially from Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Poland and Italy. The agro-food trade has become a more and more efficient part of Romania's trade taking into consideration the export share in GDP, import coverage by export and export per inhabitant [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper purpose was to identify the main trends in the Romanian sheep and goat meat market based on the analysis of the specific indicators regarding sheep and goat livestock and production at country level and by region, using the data provided by National Institute of Statistic for the period 1990-2010. About 198,729 farmers are raising sheep and goats and the average farm size is about 16 heads. The sheep and goat livestock declined by 36 % in the analyzed period accounting for 9,658 thousand heads in 2010. Sheep/goat ratio changed from 14/1 in 1990 to 6.78/1 in 2010, in the advantage of goats. Sheep and goats are mainly grown in Central, North-Eastern and South-Western Romania. Mutton and goat meat production accounted for 1,305 thousand tons in 2010, being by 46 % lower than in 1990 because of livestock decline. About 23 % mutton and sheep meat is produced in the South-Eastern Romania, 18 % in the Central part and 14 % in North-East. The share of mutton and goat meat declined from 8.38 % in 1990 to 7.66 % in 2010 in total meat production in the country. As a conclusion, mutton and goat meat market registered a decline during the last decades, in favor of pork and poultry meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to analyze the development of organic agriculture in the world, the EU and Romania, based on the statistical data for the period 2006-2010 and the index, share and comparison methods. Organic agriculture covers 34.04 Million ha at world level, of which 26.99 % in Europe and 32.08 % in Oceania. The largest areas in organic agriculture are in Australia, Argentina, the USA, Brazil, Spain, China and Italy. At world level, there are 1.6 million organic producers, over 63 % operating in Africa and Asia, especially in India, Uganda and Mexico. In 2010, organic food sales accounted for Euro 44.5 Billions of which 50 % in Europe. In the same year, the organic agriculture area increased by 20 % in the EU-27 and reached 9.01 million ha and continues to grow, representing 5.10 % of agricultural land. The larges areas in organic agriculture are in Spain, Italy, Germany and France. In the EU-27 there are 219,290 organic producers of which 40 % in Italy, Spain, Germany and Austria. In 2010, Romania's area in organic agriculture was 300,205 ha, 2 times higher than in 2006. A number of 10,253 organic operators were registered in 2010, representing 4.67 %, of the EU number. The main organic products are cereals, vegetables, wine, honey, dairy products, representing a chance for Romania's export on the EU market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to analyze Romania's honey market in the period 1990-2009, based on the INSSE data, using the index method. In 2009, Romania had 1,057 bee families, about 45,000 beekeepers, meaning 23 bee families per apiary. The number of bee families has increased by 9.76% compared to 1990 but the number of beekeepers decreased by 56% compared to 1980. Honey production reached 19.93 tones in 2009, being by 1.8 times higher than in 1990. Ecological honey represents about 16% of production. Producer honey price increased up to Lei 8-9/kg and Lei 15-20/kg in the free market, and the export price varies between Euro 2.5 -3.5/kg. Honey consumption increased up to 0.5 kg/capita in 2009, but it is still low compared to the EU average. The EU high demand and production deficit has encouraged Romania to export 70 % of its production, the main beneficiaries being Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Austria and Belgium. Since 2005, Romania has imported small amounts of honey from Czech Republic, China, Germany, Hungary, Spain and Austria. Romania comes on the 19th position in the world for honey production and on the 11th one for the honey export value. As a conclusion, honey market is continuously increasing, Romania being a net exporting country of high quality honey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to analyze the economic efficiency in two farms dealing with Carabasa Breed raising as follows: Farm1-86 sheep flock, of which 62 ewes, producing in average 146 liters milk/head/year and Farm 2-297 sheep stock, of which 255 ewes, with 140 liters/head milk yield. Economic efficiency was comparatively analyzed based on: gross product, production cost, variable and fixed cost, gross margin, profit, profit rate, farm economic size. The both farms registered profit, but Farm 2, the largest one taking into account the number of sheep, recorded a higher economic efficiency: 1.5 lambs/ewe, 22.50 kg cottage cheese/ewe, 1.17 Easter lambs/ewe, Euro 148 feeding cost/sheep, Euro 0.30/liter milk cost, Euro 233 income/ewe, Euro 61 profit/ewe, Euro 68 gross margin/ewe and a 35.55% profit rate. With Euro 17,274 profit at farm level, Farm 2 was considered a commercial middle sized farm, ESU 7.19 and Farm 1 a very small farm, ESU 1.04. As a conclusion, breeders raising Carabasa Breed, an excellent biological resource for milk and meat for Romanian sheep farming, have to increase farm size in order to go up the profitability and competitiveness of their farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to analyze the economic efficiency in three farms dealing with pig fattening in the Southern Plain of Romania. Farm size was different from a farm to another as follows: Farm1-100 fatty pigs and 10.5 tons meat as live weight, Farm 2- 2,647 fatty pigs and 264.7 tons live weight and Farm 3- 9,460 fattened pigs and 1,040.6 tons meat production. Economic efficiency was comparatively analyzed based on the following indicators: pig stock, meat production, fattening gain, food consumption, income, cost, profit and profit rate at farm level and per series of fattened pigs as well as on unitary cost, income, profit per kg live weight and delivered pig and gross margin. Finally the economic size of each farm was estimated in ESU according to the EU classification. As a conclusion, all the three farms carried out profit but the farm F3, which was the largest farm, registered the highest efficiency: Lei 107.8 profit/ pig, Lei 238 gross margin/pig, Lei thousand 1,895.582 gross margin/farm/year. Therefore, the higher the income and profit per fatty pig, the higher economic efficiency. As a conclusion, farmers have to pay attention to farm size in order to increase economic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to study the influence of two cultivars: Crisby and Karistan, with a different maturation length, upon economic efficiency in watermelon growing in an experiment running on sandy soils at SC Casa Pepenilor Verzi SRL Dabuleni, Dolj County, Romania in the year 2011.The experience was organized on 1.25 ha divided into 2 plots: V1-cultivated with Crisby F1 cultivar, an extra-early type and V2-cultivated with Karistan cultivar, a tardy type. The main economic indicators followed in the experiment have been the following ones: watermelon yield, production cost, income, profit, profit rate and gross margin. Crisby cultivar produced 30 t fruit per ha, starting from the 1st part of June when the selling price was Lei 1.2/kg and assured Lei 22,611 profit/ha. Karistan cultivar generated 70 t fruit per surface unit beginning from the 2nd part of July when the selling price was Lei 0.3/kg and produced Lei 6,051 profit per ha. As a conclusion, the use of an extra-early cultivar could assure a more efficient watermelon growing because fruit could be delivered earlier in the market covering in a better way consumer's demand and increasing producers' income and profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to analyze the evolution of watermelon market and melon market in Romania in order to identify the main trends in the period 1990-2009 based on statistical data and using the specific indicators such as: cultivated area, yield and production, consumption, trade and price. Despite that the cultivated area remained relatively constant at about 33.5 thou ha, watermelon and melon yield increased by 73.36 % from 11.2 tons/ha in 1990 to 19.5 tones /ha in 2009. As a result, total production reached 652.8 thou tons in 2009, being by 71.06 % higher than in 1990. The main trends identified in watermelon and melon production and market in Romania are the following ones: a constant cultivated and producing area, mainly in the East, West and South parts Romania, a continuous increase of yield and production, a diversified offer consisting both of local and imported watermelons and melons, appearance of extra and early fruit of Romanian origin even from June contributing to a better cover of consumer demand along the summer season, an increased competition among suppliers and also a higher income and profit for Romanian producers. Romania's watermelon and melon market is continuously developing grace to an increased demand for a healthy diet including more vegetables and fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzed the economic efficiency of Romania's honey foreign trade during the period 2000-2007 .The following specific indicators were used: trade balance, export/production ratio, share of honey export and import in agri-food export and import and in total export and import, honey export/import ratio, import/consumption ratio, export and import/inhabitant, honey food balance, marketed honey by beneficiaries and honey suppliers , average export and import price, export and import geographical orientation index and honey gross exchange index. As a conclusion, honey foreign foreign trade is a good deal for Romania which is a net exporter contributing in a positive way to the payment balance. Honey foreign trade is of high efficiency, but Romania should intensify its exports in the European market in order to diminish its stocks , to look for a higher export price and continue to reduce honey import. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents Romania's position in the European and World Honey production and trade during the period 2000-2007 based on the data provided by FAO Stat. In Europe, Romania comes on the 7th position by honey production , on the 13th position by honey yield, on the 4th position as honey exporter, on the 20th position as importer, on the 5th position by honey export value and on the 21st position by honey import value. The number of beehives, honey production and yield, honey quantitative export and import, the value of honey export and import as well as average honey export and import price have been used as main indicators for establishing Romania's position at European and world level. As a conclusion, Romania is among the main honey producers and exporters in Europe but it should still pay attention to honey yield and quality and to promote more intensively its high quality honey on various foreign market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]