The Ministry of Agriculture will hold a meeting to consult with the Estonian and Lithuanian Agriculture Ministries on the joint search for European Commission assistance for flood-affected farmers in the three Baltic countries.
The Rural Support Service will continue to accept applications for compensation to farmers before October 2. In 29 regions, a state of emergency was declared after heavy rains and floods. According to the latest data of the service, about 20,000 hectares of agricultural land are flooded here. 700 farmers have already applied for compensation. Taking into account that it rains again, the number of claims for compensation is likely to increase.
According to Janis Duklavs (Green / Farmers), requests for help will also be accepted from other regions. However, these farmers will not receive compensation, they will receive other support under the Rural Development Program.
“The current situation in the countryside is really bad, and worsening,” Duklavs said. In many places that have not been flooded, the land is so wet that it is impossible to use agricultural machinery. For the dairy farm the situation is even worse – due to the current situation they do not have the opportunity to harvest hay for the winter.
The Ministry of Agriculture discussed the situation with commercial banks in Latvia. Which, in turn, expressed their willingness to negotiate with farmers paying payments on loans. The State Revenue Service also stated that it will not impose any sanctions on farmers affected by the floods.
