On Friday, April 18th, EU Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen paid a visit to Latvia. The commissioner chose to visit the region of Latgale, located on the EU’s and Latvia’s border with the aggressor state. During the visit, Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze emphasized to the Commissioner that for years, the border regions of Latvia and the Baltic States have lived under the constant threat from the aggressor state. Therefore, these regions, which are of strategic importance for the security of the entire EU, require special attention and support to ensure economic activity and prevent population decline.
In discussions with the EU Commissioner, the Minister of Agriculture commended the European Commission’s (EC) acknowledgment of the strategic importance of the agriculture and food sector in the context of EU security, especially given the current geopolitical conditions, and expressed that this recognition must be maintained. Minister noted that society and policymakers should not take food production or every meal on their table for granted – it is a result of companies and individuals who work hard every day to ensure we do not have to worry about food shortages.
Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze: “The agriculture and food sector must be economically viable and competitive. Therefore, Latvia is concerned about the discussions that have begun regarding the new EU budget from 2028 and the unacceptable idea of unifying all EU funds. Such a one-size-fits-all approach could ignore the specific needs of agriculture and rural areas, as well as the essential role of the Common Agricultural Policy in ensuring food security and sustainable production. That is why, from 2028 onwards, the Common Agricultural Policy must remain a separate policy with its own budget – both for supporting farmers’ incomes and for rural development”.
Income support for farmers is vital. When speaking about fair support, the Minister of Agriculture reiterated that the EU must finally ensure fair distribution of direct payments among all member states so that farmers in every member state can compete under equal conditions. The direct payments must reflect that production costs in agriculture and the food industry in Latvia have reached the EU average level. Moreover, in the future, direct payments must continue to be fully funded from the EU budget—a requirement to co-finance them from national budgets would further deepen inequality among member states, given their differing financial capabilities. During the visit, the Commissioner confirmed that in his legislative proposal on the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027, he would push for the equalization of direct payments across member states. However, the outcome will depend on the ability of the member states to reach an agreement on this matter.
On April 18 in Daugavpils, EU Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen and Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze met with Latvian agricultural and food producer NGOs. As part of the visit, the Commissioner and the Minister also toured two rural enterprises: the dairy farm “Upenes” in Svente and the grain and vegetable farm “Pumpuri” in Dricāni Parish, Rēzekne Municipality. There, they discussed with the farm owners the main challenges and opportunities of operating along the EU’s eastern border.
Photo: European Union, 2025. EC Audiovisual Service. Photographer: Gints Ivuškāns