In the three Baltic countries, it is not so much the high temperatures that are worrying, but above all the lack of rain. The spring was very dry and the consequences are being felt for farmers.
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With our correspondent in Vilnius, Marielle Vitureau
Almas cultivates 110 hectares of sugar beets, winter wheat and rapeseed in western Lithuania. All his fields are cracked: If I have calculated correctly, during three months, April, May and June, the amount of water fell which generally falls during a single month. »
The abundant rains at the beginning of July saved the situation somewhat. The wheat harvest should not be too bad. On the other hand, Almas has given up on beets this season. Not all years are so bad, but global warming is here.
From now on, the plants no longer grow regularly. The temperature rises to 33 degrees, everything ripens and dries within a week. The seeds are small, there is no protein or gluten, and buyers are unhappy.
In Lithuania, we are only thinking about regional measures to relieve farmers. Latvia would like more flexibility in the application of European directives regarding land use. Farmers must be able to produce fodder more easily.
Only Estonia has declared a state of emergency. But it is above all for the moment administrative facilities for farmers in difficulty. We will know in August, during the harvest, the extent of the damage. We are already worried about it. In Latvia and Lithuania, the agricultural sector contributes almost 5% of the gross domestic product.
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