Lija, but the government announces an emergency situation due to the drought

The Council of Ministers agreed Wednesday that the extreme drought situation should be announced throughout Lithuania. This will allow farmers to justify against the purchase of their products when the total amount promised can not be delivered.

In addition, it will be easier to negotiate with the European Union on the non-application of sanctions to farmers who do not comply with the European Union's support rules. 50 percent Harvest

"16 municipalities declared the state of emergency.Although it is raining now, we will lose much of the harvest," said the minister of the 39; Agriculture.

Vidmantas Balkūnas / Photo of 15min / Giedrius Surplys

According to him, The drought in 2006 is similar to the drought of 2006, resulting in a possible loss of crops of 39; summer of 15-50%

The drought in Lithuania resembles the drought of 2006, resulting in a possible loss of summer crops of 15-50%

"We want to capture the extreme the situation that anyone who lost their crop in Lithuania could not be sanctioned by the European Union because of unmet obligations related to the payment of support from the European Union and that any farmer could pursue [forceemajeure (19459011)) as suppliers of its products "" We believe that we will certainly help farmers in negotiations when the emergency situation is declared.

Farmers ask for support in but do not expect much

Neringa Linkevičienė, owner of the 700-hectare farm with her husband, with her husband Daliumi, 15min said that the rainy season that lasted Last year and the drought this year have caused great losses to farmers.

Žygimantas Gedvila / 15 min of photos / Neringa Linkevičienė

"Last year" last year, due to the l & # 39; abundant rainfall, there was no crop, it was impossible to plant winter crops, were some bad harvests, raining, it was raining, they could not be removed. And this drought has caused a lot of damage. Looking at the crops, the winter crops, which we thought we could plant some in the fall, fell into the wet soil. And now the harvests are three times lower than they should be. The harvest will be really bad this year, "she said.

Last year was one of the worst, rainy crops, and they could not be removed. And this drought has caused a lot of damage, and looking at the crops, the winter crops, which we thought we could sow some in the fall, fell into the wet soil, and now the crops are three times lower than what we have seen. They should be. "The harvest will be really poor this year, – N.Linkeviciene said.

N.Linkeviciene secured the request for government support, but did not expect much. , the declared support to agriculture is more oral, but not financial

"We do not even expect any direct help from the authorities. We use European support, we went to all the projects we were able to do. From European aid, we started to buy agricultural machinery, we built dryers, warehouses. In this area, this support is felt more. There is some support from the local government, but more verbal, "she said.

Neringa and Dalius Linkevičiai have been in the Biržai district for 24 years, Vaidutė Stankevičienė, who spoke of the year without distrust to the farmers, said that they also had the opportunity to grow their crops, as well as for educational purposes, deer, dung, alpacas, muflons, horses, sheep and goats. manages the dairy farm.A total husband and wife manage 1.1 thousand ha area where crops for food are grown – maize, rapeseed, etc. The farm is about 1 thousand. half of which are dairy cows

Žygimantas Gedvila / 15 min nuotr. / Vaidutė Stankevičienė

V. Stankevičienė predicts that due to the rains autumn, winter crops for Drought will decrease by one third, what i should also lead to lower revenues. She believes that the summer harvest will be halved, so the farm will work at a loss.

"A very difficult situation on the farm, the year was complicated. Since the autumn there was heavy rain, we simply could not get out of winter crops. There were a lot of nuances.

There was a rainy autumn, and this year, the largest shrubs of last year gave the most important yields, this year's replenishment. left out I had to move about 40%. sowing As a result, simply reduce the amount of production, – said the farmer V.Stankevičienė.

Who did not succeed in sowing the winter, they sowed summer crops, and drowned like theirs. If it were not for this drought, the farmers would have enough crops for the winter and the profits from one crop would offset the loss of another crop. Winter farmers do not have, and summers have all drowned. The summer farms will have nothing to do, "explained the farmer

The farm, whose chef Giedrė Jankūnienė said that this year should decrease production, fell by the weather

"There was a rainy autumn, the shrubs that gave the highest yield last year did not leave them, I had to move about 40% seedlings. simply a decrease in production, "said the interlocutor.