From Thursday to Saturday, October 3 to 5, Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze will participate in an agricultural conference organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of Moldova and a cooperation-building event, "EU 4 Farmers," aimed at sharing Latvia's experience in joining the European Union (EU) and being part of the EU.
At the conference, which will take place shortly before Moldova’s referendum* on EU accession, Minister Krauze will outline the reasons why Latvia, and particularly its farming community, chose to support EU accession. It took more than nine years for Latvia to become an EU member, and the process was neither easy nor straightforward. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Latvia's membership in the EU, during which time the country's agriculture and forestry sectors have developed rapidly and integrated into the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. Over these 20 years, the export value of Latvian agricultural products has increased 16-fold, while value-added products have grown 3.5 times. Additionally, forestry exports now account for around 40% of Latvia’s total export volume. However, the most significant benefit for our country has been the overall improvement in the quality of rural life in Latvia.
During his visit to Moldova, Minister Krauze will also meet with representatives from Moldova's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, as well as local farmers. The conference and its related events in Moldova will also be attended by European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, along with agriculture ministers from EU Member States, including representatives from Lithuania and Estonia.
*On October 20, Moldova will hold a constitutional referendum on the country’s accession to the EU.