For Growth on the Earth

Increased support rate in agri-environmental measures for organic farmers and grassland habitat managers

On December 10, Latvian government approved amendments to the regulations governing support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) for implementing area and animal-based commitments. These amendments increase the 2024 support rates for organic farmers in two agri-environmental measures – LA10.4 and LA11 – as well as for all those managing biologically valuable grasslands under measure LA10.5.

With the rate increase*, farmers who implemented interventions LA10.4, LA10.5, and LA11 in 2024 will have their support recalculated. As a result, the total support amount they receive will be higher than initially planned in the spring.

Since the Rural Support Service has already started distributing EAFRD payments for area- and animal-based support, the support rates for farmers’ 2024 spatial applications will be recalculated by the end of December. This recalculation will include the increased rates and other additional adjustments.

The decision of the European Commission approving amendments to Latvia’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan for 2024.

Information source: Ministry of Agriculture

ActusQ Newsletter October 2024

ActusQ October newsletter about current topicalities in European and Latvian agricultural sector has been published! At the end of the newsletter you will find selected agricultural real estate offers.

Latvia stresses the need to simplify CAP in discussions of agricultural policy makers of EU Member States

At the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers for Agriculture of the European Union (EU) held from 8 to 10 September, agricultural policy makers and experts talked about the necessary elements for the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2027. In order to ensure sustainability and competitiveness and to manage crisis situations, it is necessary to significantly reduce bureaucracy and administrative burden.

Latvia, represented by Ģirts Krūmiņš, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture , emphasized in the discussion that the European Commission should review the conditions for implementation of the CAP and simplify them, as well as reduce the detailing of the information to be reported in the CAP Strategic Plan (SP). The administrative burden on farmers has increased many times and needs to be reduced.

Similarly, the European Commission (EC) is not sufficiently forthcoming toward adjustment of the planned indicators and the modification of the value of the planned results. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture (ZM) is concerned whether and how it will be possible to adapt the CAP SP and whether the planned timetable will allow the anomalies identified to be corrected in a timely manner.

In order for the CAP to continue supporting farmers in the implementation of the European Green Deal, to ensure sustainable farming and, at the same time, not to lose competitiveness on the market, it is necessary to identify gradually and purposefully the “green objectives” and the benefits thereof. At the same time, it is important to offer voluntary and manageable “green transition” measures, in return for support to compensate for at least part of costs and income foregone. There is also a need for high-quality training on the benefits of the green transition, the latest technologies and economic benefits, and the exchange of experiences between farmers. All this requires sufficient financial resources and investment and a simpler and more flexible approach to implementing the measures.

On the other hand, in order to better cope with crises in agriculture, it would be necessary to develop a system for anticipating and acting on crises at the EU level, as it is primarily necessary to deal with crises rather than their consequences. At the same time, the availability of adequate EU funding for crisis management needs to be considered, according to ZM experts.

Overcoming the difficulties, caused by emergencies, should not be left to each Member State alone, according to representatives of the ZM delegation. However, each Member State must strengthen farmers’ risk-taking capacity and also their responsibility for the consequences if the farmer himself has not made use of risk mitigation options such as insurance.

Information source: Ministry of Agriculture

ActusQ Newsletter August 2024

ActusQ August newsletter about current topicalities in European and Latvian agricultural sector has been published! At the end of the newsletter you will find selected agricultural real estate offers.

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Latvia among European Union leaders in direct payment disbursement

In Latvia, 99% of direct payments for 2023 have already been disbursed to farmers, making Latvia one of the leaders in the European Union (EU) in direct payments disbursement.

The Director of the Rural Support Service, Ģirts Krūmiņš, stated: “Thanks to the Electronic Application System introduced many years ago and the consultations provided by the Rural Support Service both online and in person, we have managed to disburse 99 percent of direct payments for the 2023 farming season to Latvian farmers by the end of May. This is a very good indicator at the EU level. The remaining one percent of direct payments will be disbursed in June.”

Austria and Sweden hold the leading positions with 100% direct payment disbursement. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia follow with 99%. So far, the slowest disbursements of direct payments have occurred in Bulgaria (66%), Slovenia (71%), Luxembourg (73%), the Netherlands (73%), Croatia (73%), and Slovakia (74%).

Published: 06.06.2024.
Information source: Ministry of Agriculture

ActusQ Newsletter May 2024

ActusQ May newsletter about current topicalities in Latvian agricultural sector has been published! At the end of the newsletter you will find selected agricultural real estate offers.

ActusQ Newsletter April 2024

ActusQ April newsletter about current topicalities in Latvian agricultural sector has been published! At the end of the newsletter you will find selected agricultural real estate offers.

ActusQ office opening hours over Easter holidays

We inform you, that employees of Ltd “ActusQ” are going on Easter holidays from March 29 to April 1. We will resume working in usual working mode on April 2.

Have a bright and sunny Easter holidays!

ActusQ Newsletter March 2024

ActusQ March newsletter about current topicalities in Latvian agricultural sector has been published! At the end of the newsletter you will find selected agricultural real estate offers.