The Farmers' Assembly is pleased with the decision of the Minister of Agriculture

The Farmers' Parliament is pleased with the decision of the Minister of Agriculture, Jānis Dūklavas, to address the European Commission (EC) to request support from the crisis reserve fund for partial compensation for winter crops that died as a result of frost on farms.

Juris Lazdins, chairman of the association "Farmers' Council", admits: "We are pleased that the Ministry of Agriculture will appeal to the European Commission to compensate Latvian farmers for the losses caused by the frost. We are a full member state of the European Union, which, just like other countries, contributes a certain portion of direct payments to the crisis fund. We must do everything to support our farmers, just as other European Union member states do."

Maira Dzelzkalēja, Deputy Chairwoman of the Board of the Association "Farmers' Council", admits: "We have received information from our Lithuanian colleagues that yesterday they met with their Minister of Agriculture Vigilijus Jukna to discuss Lithuania's options for claiming compensation for winter crop losses caused by the cold snap. The Lithuanian minister promised to take action. If several countries turn to him for help, then the solution to the problem is more promising. We are glad that the Baltic states are cooperating in a difficult moment.”

We remind you that in mid-March, the association "Farmers' Council" met with the Minister of Agriculture and called for the European Commission to be contacted with a request to compensate for the losses incurred. Today, on April 10, the Minister of Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs announced that, after compiling and evaluating data on losses to Latvian farmers in connection with the winter crops destroyed due to adverse weather conditions in the winter of 2013/2014 (winter crops have died or been severely damaged in large areas), the ministry will contact the European Commission with a request to provide support to Latvian grain growers.

.

According to a survey of the winter crop situation in Latvia conducted by the Latvian Rural Consulting and Education Center (LLKC) in March, the worst situation is in Zemgale, where up to 90% of cereal crops will have to be resown. In the rest of Latvia, up to 70% will have to be resown.