2020 in agriculture

This has also been a year full of anxiety caused by Covid-19 for the agricultural sector: low milk purchase prices in the first half of the year, falling meat purchase prices, anxiety about the health of oneself, family members and employees. However, unlike in cities, work in the countryside did not stop during the emergency situation to provide the inhabitants of Latvia with fresh local food. Latvian residents increasingly began to appreciate local producers, preferring local products not only on store shelves, but also in direct sales.

This year proved even more clearly that there is a shortage of workers in the countryside – seasonal workers, milkmen, tractor drivers, etc. Despite the fact that people lost their jobs in many sectors, interest in participating in or retraining for agricultural work was quite low. While the parties fruitlessly discussed the need to attract guest workers for seasonal work in the countryside, Latvia's strawberries rotted in the fields. The Farmers' Assembly reminded legislators of the need to introduce a seasonal worker system not only for fruit and vegetable farms, but also for the entire agricultural sector. The conditions for employing guest workers must be eased when they are needed.

More and more people are concentrating on living in cities, and the countryside is becoming emptier, which is observed not only in Latvia, but also throughout Europe. Therefore, the understanding of agriculture is decreasing, the number of “green” and various extremists is increasing, as well as populism directed against conventional agriculture. In recent years, there has been a tendency that everyone who has access to social networks, but does not have the appropriate education and understanding, is judging agriculture – including members of parliament who are also stuck in populism.

An example is the emotionally-driven initiative to ban the use of plant protection products within a 1km radius of residential buildings. Such an initiative would mean a ban on the use of plant protection products practically throughout Latvia – in villages and suburban allotments, as well as in orchards, rose beds and rapeseed fields.

Challenges for the near future

Production must be encouraged

One of the most important goals is to continue to support the products of local manufacturers both in everyday shopping and in procurement by state and local government institutions, including local products instead of cheaper foreign analogues.

Latvians really want to be like the old European Union countries in terms of social security, but they often forget that these countries are internally very self-sufficient and have long since learned that the national economy is based directly on internal consumption. By buying local goods and products, we support not only our farmers and manufacturers, but the entire national economy and the country as a whole, because in this way the money paid by Latvians stays in the national economy, rather than going to other countries.

Therefore, there must be various support instruments: some to support domestic producers, and others to enable them to produce export-capable goods and compete in foreign markets. It is essential to strengthen the export positions of those companies that have already won a place not only in European, but also in world markets.

A sensible dialogue must be established between farmers and society

Currently, everyone is on their own side of the trenches – farmers on one side, the rest of society and some organic farmers on the other. But war does not feed! It is clear that the positions taken need to be changed – because the situation has become a dead end. Citizens must clearly state what they want, and vote for their words with their wallets. Let it not be the case that they passionately defend a green lifestyle, but buy the cheapest product or product of unknown origin in the supermarket. In turn, farmers should explain their farming principles to the public in a more friendly way – why they do what in the field or in the barn.

Agriculture must be developed by attracting resources

Agriculture, like any business, needs cheap access to financial resources. Support for the repayment of loan interest on the purchase of agricultural land should be continued, as well as new programs should be created with the help of which young farmers can start farming or buy already established farms. Legislation should be adjusted so that Latvian farmers have a priority opportunity to purchase land, not foreign investors, whose goals may not coincide with the interests of Latvia.

We must invest in research and science

In order to choose the most suitable measures for Latvia to achieve the goals of the "green course", it is necessary to invest in science and research. Only by identifying the most appropriate methods and technologies for our conditions, investments in green growth will benefit both natural diversity, economic growth and the well-being of the population.

Covid-19 challenges

It is currently difficult to predict the impact of Covid-19 on agriculture in the future, as it is not known how the situation in society will develop, and what the restrictions imposed by the government will be. There are two possible scenarios – either society will comply with all the requirements set by the government, and we will be able to limit this disease, or there will be even stricter restrictions, which will significantly affect not only agriculture, but the entire economy as a whole. In the case of the second scenario, borders may be closed again and stricter logistics restrictions may be introduced, which will delay the delivery of raw materials, seeds, spare parts and other important resources necessary for agriculture. Latvian farmers are very dependent on exports and the purchasing power of other countries, so we will be affected by how severely Covid-19 will also affect the economies of the countries to which our products are exported.