Farmers’ representatives: delaying the beginning of the declaration of agricultural land, it is necessary to delay the end as well Business

“If the beginning is postponed, then the end should be postponed as well, because there is two weeks less time left,” Arūnas Svitojus, the chairman of the Chamber of Agriculture, said to BNS on Tuesday.

“It is not a good thing to postpone and change the declaration rules. They are changed every year, although there are promises that they will not change anymore. It seems to make something easier, but the end result is that it complicates, especially the control mechanisms. It will be more difficult for farmers to find their way around, more consultations and individual advice will be needed,” explained A. Svitojus.

According to the Chairman of the Agricultural Council, Igno Hofman, it is necessary to allow longer to declare crops and crops, because the vast majority of them cannot survive without the help of district agricultural specialists.

“A very small number of farmers declare themselves – 3 or 5 percent,” I. Hofmanas claimed to BNS.

“It is wrong if the declaration time is not extended. Sometimes it happens that farmers lack even one day,” he added.

A. Svitojus and I. Hofman said that the ministry will be asked to postpone the end of the declaration.

“In any case, the community of farmers must react and apply for those terms to be coordinated,” asserted A. Svitojus.

According to him, Lithuanian farmers are already late in submitting declarations: “We are just starting the declaration, other countries are already finishing it”.

According to I. Hofman, it will be easier for farmers to declare this year, because there are some exceptions – it is easier to declare production areas, there are facilitations due to the application of eco-schemes.

At that time, A. Svitojus was convinced that the declaration would not be easier this year compared to last year.

“It doesn’t look like it’s going to be streamlined. He is said to be improving, but we are not seeing those improvements. The declaration itself is not a complicated matter, but new schemes are coming, and the old ones are not being abolished. Something should be reduced if new schemes are introduced, and now it’s like buying new socks, but not throwing away the old ones,” A. Svitojus told BNS.

According to him, the conditions are especially difficult for livestock farmers.

“There are bureaucratically more difficult options. For example, animals are released to pastures, and veterinarians demand within 48 hours. drive the animals into the barns to check. There is no such thing anywhere in Europe. There is a minimum of 72 hours. deadline is given. And here every institution wants to make life easier, significantly making it harder for the farmer. If a large farmer, several herds of animals graze, he has to drive them all to the meadows after catching them, to line them up. He also has other jobs,” said A. Svitojus.

According to him, another complication is the requirement to indicate in which meadow the cow grazes. According to him, this was not the case before.

The declaration of the area of ​​agricultural land and crops in Lithuania will begin two weeks later, as the decision to postpone the restoration of perennial meadows and pastures for a year has not yet been legally approved by the European Commission.

The Ministry of Agriculture indicates that the declaration is postponed until the European Commission (EC) formally approves the amendments to the strategic plan for the 2023-2027 strategic plan for Lithuanian agriculture and rural development.

Last year, 116 thousand people submitted declarations. farms.