Baltic ministers call for equalization of agricultural direct payments

Baltic ministers call for equalization of agricultural direct payments. Photo: Meelis Meilbaum

During a joint discussion in Lithuania, agriculture ministers from the Baltic states emphasized that direct payments for agriculture must be equalized across all European Union member states.

On the first day of the meeting, hosted by the Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture, discussions focused on the future of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and ensuring equal opportunities for Baltic farmers compared to their EU counterparts.

«We have been EU members for 20 years, yet our agricultural direct payments remain below average. Meanwhile, input costs are often higher here, and climatic conditions are more challenging. This makes the issue of distributing direct payments even more pressing. To achieve fair competition, direct payments must be equalized among all member states. I believe that working together with the Baltic states gives us the best chance to secure equal opportunities,» Estonian Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Piret Hartman said.

The meeting on Thursday evening included Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Kazys Starkevicius and Latvian Minister Armands Krauze. Later, Moldovan and Ukrainian ministers Vladimir Bolea and Vitaliy Koval joined the discussion.

Regarding Estonia's ongoing public transport reform, Hartman held separate meetings with Lithuania's outgoing Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis and the incoming minister, current MP Eugenijus Sabutis.

«Both highlighted poor maintenance of state roads and public transport issues as Lithuania's main challenges. I presented Estonia's public transport reform plan and asked my colleagues about Lithuania's experiences. They also aim to create a unified ticketing system, but their biggest concern, much like Estonia's, is the coordination between the public and private sectors and harmonizing bus and rail services,» Hartman said.

During the visit, Hartman also toured the Agrifood agricultural cluster in Vilnius, which brings together 96 companies from the sector and connects the public sector, investors, research institutions, startups, and others. Agrifood organizes hackathons across the Baltics to unite agricultural businesses and help them discover new opportunities. The minister and Agrifood director Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė agreed on several potential future collaboration projects.

On Thursday, Hartman also visited the Estonian embassy in Vilnius and met with newly appointed Ambassador Kaili Terras. Discussions primarily focused on comprehensive security, crisis centers, and food security. The minister also inquired about the role of agricultural businesses in the embassy's economic diplomacy efforts and the interest of Estonian food producers in the Lithuanian market.

The meeting of Baltic ministers continues on Friday in Vilnius and Kaunas with multilateral discussions and visits to local companies. The second day focuses on the European Union's enlargement.