(MENAFN) Lithuania has declared a state of emergency following severe summer rains that heavily damaged the country’s agricultural output. The government said the declaration will allow for more coordinated national support for farmers impacted by the extreme weather, noting that 14 municipalities had already declared local emergencies.

According to the government, 50% to 70% of the harvest has been destroyed or damaged, with many fields still flooded, preventing farmers from completing their crops. This delay also threatens their ability to meet the August 15 sowing deadline.

The prolonged rainy period began in late May, with June and July experiencing the second-heaviest rainfall on record, surpassed only by 2007. Saturated soil has made even minor rainfall sufficient to cause flooding in many regions.

Under the emergency, authorities can relax deadlines and administrative requirements to help farmers focus on harvesting, Deputy Agriculture Minister Andrius Palionis explained. Neighboring Latvia has also declared a state of emergency due to recent agricultural damage from frost, rain, and floods, with officials warning of likely increases in food prices.

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