Lithuania has declared a nationwide state of emergency after torrential rains this summer devastated much of the Baltic nation’s agricultural harvest.
The measure will enable more coordinated, countrywide support for farmers affected by the extreme weather, the Lithuanian government said in a statement on Wednesday. It noted that 14 municipalities had already declared local emergencies before the national decision.
“The long rainy period damaged or destroyed from 50% to 70% of the harvest,” the statement said, adding that in many affected areas farmers still cannot harvest crops because fields remain flooded.
“Farmers will also be unable to fulfil their contractual obligation to sow crops by August 15,” it added.
The prolonged rainfall began in late May, and the country’s precipitation in June and July was the second heaviest on record, exceeded only by measurements from 2007, the government said.
Heavy rains have left the soil in many areas so saturated that even brief showers now lead to flooding, it added.
Under the state of emergency, the government can waive certain deadlines and administrative requirements to allow farmers to focus on harvesting, Lithuanian Deputy Agriculture Minister Andrius Palionis told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Neighbouring Latvia also declared a state of emergency last week in response to damage caused by frost, rain and floods to its agriculture in recent months.
Food prices in Latvia are likely to rise because of the poor harvest, parliament speaker Daiga Mierina has warned, according to local media.
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