Alkas.lt writes that only 17% of farm owners in Lithuania are younger than 40, and 50% of young people have left the farming sector over the past decade. The number of farm dwellers has decreased by nearly 15% over the last 10 years. These are discouraging statistics for farmers and have not changed for the better in quite a few years. For this reason, farmers are asking for some essential changes.
A fifth-generation farmer in north-western Lithuania grows grain, dairy and beef cattle on about 750 acres of land. He says he still feels like a small farmer, because farms nearby are being swallowed by corporations and other large landowners. Farmers used to hate the collective farms, but they seem to be coming back. Their biggest problem is the price they get for dairy and meat. A few years ago selling an animal for beef would offset the cost of a few months’ wages for a farm-worker, whereas now it only cover’s one month’s wage. “We feel as though we’re weeds that the state is trying to get rid of“, said the farmer. “It’s strange to see the prices increasing in stores, yet we are not getting more for our products.”
He hopes that the crisis will abate and it will be possible to break even. Because his farm is beside a river, during the summer he is able to rent canoes to vacationers. Given a choice between milking cows and renting out canoes, he said dairy farming barely provides a subsistence, whereas tourism is quite profitable and requires less labour. His two children are not considering agriculture in their future plans.
He invited members of the Lithuanian Young Farmers and Youth Association to convene at his farm in September, and was happy for the opportunity to share new ideas. However, farmers still need support from the government.
Association vice-president Vytautas Buivydas noted that now is the time coordinated action. A major issue is ownership of farmland. Apparently 80% of Lithuania’s farmland is controlled by 10% of its farmers. The law preventing a person from owning more than 500 hectares (1235 acres) of land is not being enforced.
Young farmers also want to see the issue of financial support limits resolved, with a ceiling of 60,000 euros. Currently, 34,160 recipients (26.7%) are granted up to 500 euros, totalling
3.5% of all direct subsidies. The 2023-2027 budget period is the time to head toward the European Council’s recommended 60,000-euro subsidies, so that small and mid-sized farms may receive more support, and larger ones work more competitively.
The strategic plan must provide sufficient support for young farmers and small to mid-sized farms. The playing field is not even if young farmers receive lower subsidies than long-established farmers.
