Czech Agriculture Ministry Aims to Expand Vegetable Farmland and Boost Food Self-Sufficiency by 2035

The Czech Ministry of Agriculture has drawn up a vegetable-growing strategy through 2035 aimed at expanding the area under cultivation and strengthening the country's food self-sufficiency. The ministry announced the plan following a round-table discussion with producers.

"Vegetable growing is not just about production. It plays a vital role in sustaining rural life, creating jobs, protecting the landscape, strengthening regional economies, and ensuring access to quality domestic food", said Agriculture Minister Martin Šebestyán (SPD).

According to participants at the meeting, producers' market position needs to be strengthened, and fairer conditions must be secured along the entire supply chain — from field to shelf. Special attention will also be paid to promoting Czech vegetables and increasing the share of locally grown produce in public catering.

Betting on Technology and Greenhouses

The ministry says modern technology should help expand cultivated areas while also addressing the long-standing labor shortage and improving farm efficiency. The strategy calls for developing modern covered growing facilities that use artificial intelligence, biological pest control, and advanced monitoring systems to enable year-round production.

According to the ministry's situation report, the total area of modern covered vegetable-growing complexes in the country currently stands at just 62.3 hectares. Not a single new greenhouse of this kind was built in 2025, and storage capacity has not increased either.

Another element of the strategy involves supporting insurance schemes — authorities want to keep insurance products affordable for vegetable growers in order to reduce the sector's risks.

Self-Sufficiency and Production Structure

According to the ministry, the Czech Republic's vegetable self-sufficiency stood at around 32 percent last year. Onions remain the most widely grown crop, cultivated on 2,088 hectares, followed by garden peas at 1,278 hectares.

Vegetable consumption in the country is on the rise: according to the Czech Statistical Office, in 2024 each resident consumed an average of 91.6 kilograms of vegetables — 4.4 kilograms more than the year before.

The number of commercial vegetable producers in Czechia dipped slightly in 2025 to 395. Revenue from commercial vegetable sales rose 8.4% in 2023, reaching 3.45 billion crowns, though production volume itself fell by 6.3% in 2024, to 212,300 tonnes.

Source: ekolist.cz