Latvian grain farmers are facing a critical juncture as international competition and challenging environmental conditions threaten their livelihoods. A combination of stringent European Union regulations – including limitations on plant protection products and climate-focused initiatives – coupled with a historically poor growing season in 2025, have created a perfect storm for the sector.According to a recent interview with Roberts Strīpnieks, chairman of the board of the Agricultural Service Cooperative Society LATRAPS, the situation is dire, with a notable portion of the harvest unsuitable for human consumption and farmers bracing for ample financial losses.
Latvian grain farmers are facing increasing challenges competing in global markets as producers from South America, Russia, and Ukraine offer significantly lower prices. This price difference stems from those countries not being subject to the same European Union regulations – including restrictions on plant protection products, the Green Deal, and carbon taxes – that drive up costs and reduce yields for Latvian growers.
Roberts Strīpnieks, chairman of the board of the Agricultural Service Cooperative Society LATRAPS, detailed the difficulties in a recent interview. He believes the future viability of Latvian agriculture hinges on further processing crops domestically to create higher-value products.
What is the situation in the agricultural product sector in 2025?
The outlook is grim. One student might remember the summer of 2025 as the year there was no summer, Strīpnieks said. This unusual weather significantly hampered grain development, delaying the start of the harvest season by approximately two weeks compared to previous years. Harvesting was slow, erratic, and took place under difficult conditions. Adding to the problems, the quality of the harvested grain was substantially lower than in previous years. LATRAPS found that roughly two-thirds of the grain it purchased was only suitable for animal feed. Regional variations existed, with 55% in Zemgale and Kurzeme, but as high as 80% in Latgale. Some farms didn’t harvest even a single ton of food-grade grain, and further losses were anticipated as wet conditions prevented equipment from accessing some fields. This situation is abnormal, and farmers were unprepared for such a significant decline in grain quality, which will have a substantial impact on their income and solvency. It represents a double blow – a harvest that doesn’t match investment and potential, coupled with challenging working conditions and low-quality grain, leading to deep disappointment among farmers.
Who are these adversaries causing so much pain to farmers?
There’s an old joke that a farmer’s five greatest enemies are the four seasons and the government, Strīpnieks noted. In some ways, that joke rings true, as each of the last three years has brought unexpected climate challenges. Since 2023, farmers have begun each growing season hoping it would be the turning point, the year they could finally get back on their feet. But each year, as the harvest begins, the ground has shifted beneath them.
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Latvian grain farmers are struggling to compete in the global market, facing a significant price disadvantage compared to producers in South America, Russia, and Ukraine. The disparity is due to differing regulations, with Latvian farms bound by European Union rules that increase costs and lower yields.
According to Roberts Strīpnieks, chairman of the board of the Agricultural Service Cooperative Society LATRAPS, the challenges stem from EU requirements such as limitations on plant protection products, the Green Deal, and carbon taxes. These regulations aren’t imposed on competitors in other regions, allowing them to offer lower prices.
The situation is particularly concerning as farmers brace for continued difficulties. Strīpnieks believes the long-term survival of Latvian agriculture depends on developing more processing capacity within the country to add value to raw crops.
Looking ahead to 2025, the forecast is bleak. Strīpnieks described the summer of 2025 as one that felt like it never arrived, leading to significant disruptions in grain development. The harvest season began roughly two weeks later than usual, and conditions were difficult throughout.
Beyond the challenging conditions, the quality of the harvested grain was substantially lower than in previous years. LATRAPS reported that approximately two-thirds of the grain it purchased was only suitable for animal feed. The issue varied regionally, with 55% of grain in the Zemgale and Kurzeme regions falling into the feed-grade category, compared to 80% in Latgale. Some farms were unable to harvest any food-grade grain at all, and further losses were expected due to fields being too wet for equipment.
“This is an abnormal situation,” Strīpnieks said, “and farmers were unprepared for such a significant decline in grain quality, which will have a substantial impact on their income and solvency.” The combination of low yields, difficult working conditions, and poor grain quality represents a significant setback for Latvian farmers.
Strīpnieks acknowledged the familiar sentiment among farmers, referencing a common joke that their greatest enemies are the four seasons and the government. He noted that the last three years have each brought unexpected climate challenges, and farmers have repeatedly hoped for a more favorable year, only to be disappointed as the harvest season arrives. The ongoing difficulties underscore the vulnerability of the agricultural sector to both weather patterns and regulatory pressures.
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