The Latvian Food Retailers Association (LPTA) has asked Agriculture Minister Didzis Smits to provide proof for his claim of 300% markups on food prices in stores, Baltic News Network reports. If the minister cannot provide such proof, LPTA will ask him to retract his statement. Earlier, Smits claimed that food retailers had applied 300% markups…
Latvia’s Economy Minister, Ilze Indriksone, said that the state should not intervene in the food market, LSM reports. Earlier, Agriculture Minister Didzis Smits insisted that market intervention was necessary due to the high food prices. He suggested establishing a special regulator to monitor food prices in shops. Indriksone agreed that Latvia’s large supermarket chains, Maxima…
Latvia’s retail sector has had no competition, especially in grocery trade, for years, Agriculture Minister Didzis Smits stated, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with LTV, Smits asserted that retailers could set markups of 300% plus VAT on local produce and still compete, which he said was “abnormal” and “unpatriotic.” He insisted that in such…
The European Commission has granted EUR 6.8mn of financial support for Latvia’s agricultural sector, LSM reports. Latvia had requested EUR 11mn of EU aid. Agriculture Minister Didzis Smits noted that the support accorded to Latvia was proportionally the largest amount of aid granted. The support is intended for industries negatively impacted by the war in…
Latvia’s opposition Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) is planning to request the dismissal of Agriculture Minister Didzis Šmits, Baltic News Network reports. ZZS press secretary Dace Karklina said that the party supported the position of the Latvian Farmers Union (LZS) that the minister’s inaction and failure to set limits had resulted in uncontrollable increases…
Latvia’s Minister of Agriculture, Didzis Šmits, has finally been given access to official secrets, the Agriculture Ministry announced, LETA reports. The Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB) confirmed that the minister has received a permit to access official secrets. Security agencies took six months to review his application. Šmits was the last minister without access to official…
The Latvian agrarian political party, Latvian Farmers Union (LZS), has decided to ask the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) to decide on requesting the dismissal of Agriculture Minister Didzis Šmits (United List), Baltic News Network reports. ZZS will be meeting to discuss the request on 4 July 2023. LZS accused Šmits of “inaction” amid…