Due to the devastating frosts, the fruit growing industry suffered losses amounting to several million

Damages to fruit and berry gardens in Latvia due to the devastating spring frosts have reached 10 million euros, representatives of the Latvian Agricultural Cooperative Association (LLKA) inform.

LLKA emphasizes that state support for the fruit growing industry is essential, as the lost revenue from the damaged harvest will have far-reaching consequences for the development of the industry.

Gundars Kārkliņš, chairman of the board of the agricultural services cooperative society “Bio Berries Latvia”, emphasizes that if it is not possible to prepare for next year’s harvest, both local consumers and foreign customers will lose. In addition, the consequences will be felt for a long time, because it may take several years to recover the lost market in Latvia and abroad.

He explained that the necessary investments for rural renewal reach several thousand euros per hectare.

Also, LLKA General Director Rolands Feldmanis emphasizes that the speed of action of the Ministry of Agriculture in granting state aid will be decisive for how quickly fruit growers will be able to recover.

“The future of Latvian fruits and berries is also in processing, but in order to develop it, first of all, it is necessary to recover the losses caused this year and to increase the production volumes in the future, in order, first of all, to increase the market in Latvian and export markets, but in the future, cooperatives in the fruit and berry industry could develop competitive processing plants,” emphasizes Feldmanis.

Currently, there are eight fruit and vegetable cooperatives operating in Latvia, which unite almost 150 fruit, berry and vegetable producers.

It has already been reported that after the eight-day frost at the beginning of May, orchards were significantly damaged in all regions of Latvia, including the cherries that suffered the most in Kurzeme, most of which had already blossomed, in Vidzeme cherries, plums, pears, and apples were frozen, while in Latgale 80% were damaged in a cherry orchard tree.

The Association of Fruit Growers assessed the situation in the industry as catastrophic.

At the same time, LLKA emphasized that one of the most important goals for fruit growers and berry growers after this year’s frost is to maintain the pace of development and growth.

LLKA is an association founded in 2002, whose members are cooperative societies of the agricultural and forestry sector. The directions of LLKA’s activities are to create a favorable environment for the development of cooperation between farmers and forest owners in Latvia, to promote the creation of a favorable environment for ensuring the long-term stability and development of farmers and forest owners, as well as to promote the understanding of farmers, forest owners and the rest of society about the need for cooperation and its advantages in agriculture and forestry