Solutions for maintaining the resilience and competitiveness of farmers are needed today, not only at the national level but also at the level of the European Union, writes Latvijas Avīze.
"The Green Course" is a mistake that is already being acknowledged but not yet corrected, and the EU resembles a ship that has already run aground and is gradually sinking due to the wrong course.
These and other conclusions were voiced last Friday at the congress of the organization "Farmers' Saeima," where strategic issues of fundamental importance for modern agricultural production were discussed. In connection with the congress, an intrigue was likely created to attract attention: the leaders of the organization stated that many farmers decided not to sow their fields this spring.
During the congress, journalists spoke with several of them, and all said they would continue to work, that there was no other way out, and that most of them had already prepared everything necessary for this spring.
A total of 180 representatives of the organization applied to the congress, and about 100 attended. Perhaps those who do not plan to sow did not come - after all, now every unnecessary movement needs to be accounted for. Here is what the head of the "Farmers' Saeima," Juris Lazdiņš, who has a farm of 15,000 hectares in Zemgale, said:
"I will sow myself, although I do not need to sow a significant part of the total area, about 100 hectares. However, many really do not intend to sow this spring. Last autumn was very difficult - wet, and it was physically impossible to get to the field to sow winter crops. As a result, most remained for summer crops, and for some farms, the areas that need to be sown in spring have increased by up to 40%. Considering that Vidzeme and Latgale have been experiencing serious agricultural production problems for the third consecutive year due to weather conditions, many farmers have run out of financial resources and reserves. Already in the winter months, these farms found solutions with creditors, for example, with "Altum," on how to refinance losses, obtain additional working capital, etc. Somehow they managed to gather all this to form the farm budget for this year. But now, due to the conflict in the Middle East, everything has changed again radically. However, this does not mean bankruptcy. They will not sow crops, will leave the land fallow, and will try to enter into new agreements. They will look for other sources of funding for regular payments, for example, from forestry."
Leave a comment