Lithuania has declared a national emergency in response to the catastrophic agricultural damage caused by an exceptionally wet summer. Official reports indicate that between 50% and 70% of the nation's agricultural yield has been damaged or lost due to unprecedented rainfall. This has inundated fields, rendered harvesting machinery unusable, and significantly diminished crop quality.
The declaration of a national emergency highlights the vulnerability of Lithuania's agricultural sector to extreme weather events and underscores growing concerns about climate change's impact on food security and national economies. Neighboring Latvia has also declared a national emergency due to similar adverse weather conditions, indicating a regional challenge requiring coordinated responses. Historical weather data reveals that rainfall in Lithuania during June and July was the second highest on record, surpassed only by 2007, suggesting an intensification of extreme weather phenomena in the Baltic region. Latvian Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze noted that Latvia's crops have also suffered significantly and may not be harvested. The Latvian government's emergency declaration, effective until November 4, 2025, is a technical measure to expedite financial aid and ease regulatory requirements for affected farmers, including deferring loan payments and adjusting payment schedules without penalties. In Lithuania, the emergency aims to provide farmers with greater flexibility in meeting their obligations. Deputy Agriculture Minister Andrius Palionis stated that the proposal for a national emergency was made as 13 municipalities had already declared their own emergency situations. This move is expected to alleviate pressure on farmers facing financial and logistical challenges. Some parts of Lithuania have reported daily rainfall equivalent to an entire month's average, with national average rainfall in July reaching 167% of the monthly norm, and some areas experiencing two to three times the expected precipitation. The broader implications extend to the interconnectedness of regional agriculture and the global food supply chain, with the Baltic region increasingly susceptible to climate variability. While specific crop breakdowns for Lithuania have not been detailed, the nation is a producer of vital grains like wheat and root crops such as potatoes, which are foundational to both domestic consumption and export markets. The situation serves as a catalyst for reassessing agricultural practices and building resilience against the escalating impacts of a changing climate.