RIGA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Latvia's agricultural sector is facing significant losses due to this summer's extreme weather, the farmers' organization Zemnieku Saeima warned on Thursday.
The total damage could reach several hundred million euros, Maira Dzelzkaleja-Burmistre, a representative of the group, told the LETA news agency, adding that crop quality has deteriorated sharply, making it harder for farmers to meet contractual obligations.
On Aug. 5, the Latvian government declared a state of emergency in agriculture until Nov. 5, citing prolonged rainfall and flooding that have severely disrupted the harvest.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, wet conditions since May have flooded fields in many regions, blocking machinery access, delaying harvests, and cutting yields.
As of July 10, preliminary losses were estimated at 63.89 million euros (74.37 million U.S. dollars), with oats, summer wheat, winter wheat, peas, and perennial grasslands among the worst affected crops.
The ministry said farmers are still submitting damage reports, meaning the affected area and financial toll will continue to grow. Actual losses could be substantially higher, as not all farmers have reported the damage. (1 euro = 1.16 U.S. dollar)
