The prolonged frosts this spring, according to initial estimates, destroyed about 70-80 percent of the fruit and berry harvest, says the Minister of Agriculture.
According to Ignas Hofmans, Lithuania will raise the issue of compensation for frost damage at the European level – in the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the European Union (EU).
"The flowering process is not over, when it ends, then it will be possible to objectively assess it. Yesterday we had a meeting with representatives of the horticulture and berry growing sector, we talked about the current situation. The losses are truly huge, according to a preliminary assessment, 70-80 percent. there are already losses today," I. Hofmanas told Žinių radijus on Wednesday.
"We are making efforts to include the issue of frost in the Council of Ministers (EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council – BNS), the next one, which I will attend next Monday. We will also discuss this with representatives of the European Commission," the minister said.
According to him, the situation regarding frost is exceptional, as the frosts lasted for almost three weeks, and plant protection against them is limited and expensive.
"There are no measures that can protect against frost, and if there are, they are very expensive. And those that can save the situation a little and that gardeners have, (...) are effective only for a very short time," explained I. Hofmanas.
According to him, whether a state-level state of emergency would be declared as a result will depend on how many municipalities declare it.
"Perhaps it will be enough for the relevant municipalities that have suffered from frost to announce it and then we can activate certain legal mechanisms," said the Minister of Agriculture.
As berry growers previously told BNS, the early flowering of the fruit bushes predicted a bountiful harvest, but due to the frosts that set in later, there will be practically no harvest.
The Seimas Rural Affairs Committee will discuss frost damage to farms on Wednesday.
Author Lukas Juozapaitis
Editor Roma Pakėnienė
[email protected], Business News Section
