Estonia to invest 546 million euros in agriculture and food sectors

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal has pledged that 546 million euros allocated for the next European Union budget period will be directed toward investments in the agricultural and food sectors to bolster competitiveness. This commitment follows discussions with the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce regarding the lagging income levels within the sector.

Agriculture Minister Hendrik Johannes Terras noted that while the European Commission provided these funds to help bring Estonian agricultural subsidies closer to the EU average, the money is not strictly earmarked for agriculture, allowing the Estonian government discretion in its allocation. This flexibility has sparked debate, as the Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce previously considered nationwide protests over concerns that significant portions of the funds might be diverted to other areas, such as climate measures.