According to the information of the Latvian Geological Centre of Meteorology, August was the wettest in the last 13 years and the 4th wettest in the history of observations. According to Regulation 2022/2116 and Cabinet Regulation No 198, severe meteorological conditions significantly affecting the farm may be considered as an exceptional circumstance. The farmer also retains the right to receive aid if non-compliance with the conditions for granting aid is due to force majeure or exceptional occurrences. According to Paragraph 4 of the Cabinet Regulation No 198, in case of exceptional circumstances, the farmer shall submit to the Rural Support Service (hereinafter - RSS) within 15 working days from the date on which such possibility arises, a detailed description of the occurrence of the exceptional circumstances and supporting documents.

Having assessed the situation, the data of the LVGMC, Regulation 2022/2116 and the provisions of the Cabinet Regulation No 198, the Ministry of Agriculture has indicated that a situation where the harvest of the main crop is delayed due to changing climatic conditions, including prolonged rainfall, and consequently the sowing of intercrops is delayed, is considered as exceptional circumstances and the farmer retains the right to 2. The farmer shall be entitled to receive the eco-scheme aid for intercropping if the intercropping is carried out later than 1 September in a field where the main crop has not been harvested by 1 September because the conditions for receiving the aid have been directly affected or delayed by adverse climatic events.

Taking into account the fact that adverse climatic conditions have occurred throughout the territory of Latvia, it is considered that exceptional conditions have occurred throughout the territory of Latvia. In this case, according to Article 3(2) of Regulation 2022/2116, individual detailed descriptions and supporting documents do not need to be submitted, but the LAD may request farmers to provide photographic evidence via the LAD mobile app of the establishment of intercropping after subsequent sowing of intercrops.

Author Ministry of Agriculture