Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian farm ministers have written to the European Commission to call for their average payment per hectare to continue to increase.

The Baltic states claim that the EU must continue on its plan to increase financial support for member states who have lower than average payments per hectare for direct support and rural development. In 2017, Estonia received direct payments 44% below the EU average, Latvia 46% and Lithuania 40% lower.

In a letter to Commissioner Hogan, the three Baltic farming ministers argue that the current plans to pay counties no less than 80% of the average payment is not ambitious enough.

It goes on to claim the historical method of allocating national budgets has lost its relevance.

The letter also states that the three countries strongly opposed to the proposed 28% cut in rural development money. Lower production costs have been cited as a reason for lower payments. However, the EU’s statistics body Eurostat published information which showed that production costs per unit were higher in all three Baltic states compared to the EU average.