The first figures for farmer support in the new period are emerging

In the last week of April, together with many agricultural and environmental organizations, the ZSA remotely discussed the Ministry of Agriculture's (MA) proposal for measures related to the environment and climate. This was the first presentation by the MA where we could already see specific rates for hectares and animals. Now we have been given two weeks to provide our proposals and objections to the many measures.

As we previously reported, greening requirements will now be mandatory, and there will be no additional payment for their compliance. In turn, new measures will appear – eco-schemes, for which farmers will be able to apply or not apply each year, as well as agri-environmental measures, in which farmers will be able to apply for 5-year commitments. We have started work, and next week we will also discuss these issues at the remote board meeting of the Farmers' Saeima.

First impressions indicate a heavy blow to crop production – currently, for the most common crops – winter/summer wheat, rapeseed, oats and barley, under the conditions as before, we will only be able to receive approximately 110 euros per hectare, while currently they are 130-140 euros/ha. All this is happening at a time when the total funding for Latvian agriculture is increasing. An equivalent rate could be received under the current Ministry of Agriculture offer only if precision technologies, no-turnover technologies were introduced in all sowing areas, as well as if 5-year agri-environmental commitments were undertaken.