Farmers to protest planned agriculture funding cuts in Tallinn

The Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce will organise a protest in Tallinn from August 25 against the government’s plan to nearly halve European Union funding allocated to Estonia’s agriculture and food sector, ERR reported.

The protest will begin on August 25, and the sector is prepared to continue its presence until August 27 if necessary, chamber spokesperson Liilit Kirss said on Tuesday.

Farmers are opposing a Finance Ministry proposal to allocate 295 million euros to agriculture and the food industry under the EU’s next seven-year budget framework, instead of the 546 million euros included for Estonia’s agriculture in the European Commission’s budget proposal.

The proposed allocation would be 251 million euros, or 46 percent, less than the amount available to the sector under the Commission’s proposal.

The chamber said Estonia’s agricultural sector and the state had worked for years in the EU to bring the competitiveness of Estonian producers and their support levels closer to the EU average. It said the Commission’s proposal had taken into account a gap that had persisted for more than 20 years.

“If the Estonian government directs only 295 million euros of this allocation to agriculture and food production, nearly half of the funding directed to Estonia will remain unused for strengthening the agricultural and food sectors because of the income gap in agriculture,” the chamber said.

The protest will follow an action held in March, when farmers brought 689 tractors from across Estonia to demonstrations. The chamber said it was prepared to continue the new protest until August 27 if needed.

“For years, we have stood together with the Estonian state in Europe to ensure that our farmers’ unequal competitive position is recognised and that support levels are harmonised. That opportunity is now on the table in the EU budget proposal, but the Estonian government itself plans to divert a significant part of the amount away from agriculture and food production. This is very difficult to explain to producers,” said Kerli Ats, chair of the chamber’s board.

“These funds are not only an opportunity to build something new. In addition to development, they are also important so that companies can make the necessary investments over the next seven years to maintain today’s production levels. If the investments are not made, it will sooner or later affect how much food we produce ourselves in Estonia,” Ats said.

She added that domestic pig production, beef cattle and sheep farming, potato and vegetable production had declined in recent years, while grain producers were struggling.

The chamber said it wanted a substantive meeting with the prime minister to reach an agreement on directing the full 546 million euros allocated by the EU, together with the required national co-financing, towards strengthening the competitiveness of Estonia’s agriculture and food production and ensuring food security.

It has invited the prime minister to the August 25 action to explain the government’s position directly to agricultural producers and hear their questions.

“In March, we heard from various parties in the Riigikogu that Estonia’s agricultural competitiveness and food security needed support. The decision is now in the hands of the Estonian government itself. We expect the government to use this opportunity and come explain its choice to farmers,” Ats said.