Crop damage caused by frost and low temperatures has already been recorded this year, and now the consequences of summer extreme weather are being recorded. "Damage is caused by heavy rains and storms, as well as hail", noted Martynas Rusteika, head of VH Lietuva, an agricultural insurance company. "We previously considered hail to be a local phenomenon, but now we have received reports of hail damage from 20 municipalities", said Martynas Rusteika.
The exact extent of the damage will be known in the fall, but insurers do not rule out a possibility of further losses.
In July, storms and rains caused farm losses totaling EUR 6 million. Overall, crops were damaged in 46 municipalities across the country. "We can no longer single out any region of Lithuania as safe – extreme events have affected virtually the entire country this year", emphasized Martynas Rusteika.
Lithuanian farmers say they are increasingly feeling the effects of climate change. Other European countries are also suffering from climate change. "In Central Europe – Germany, France, and the Benelux countries – drought and heat are causing serious problems. This significantly impacts grain yields. Wherever you go – France, Italy, or Spain – you see farmers' problems everywhere. We need to adapt to climate change, not fight it", said Janusz Pawel, coordinator of the Baltic States Mutual Insurance Fund, the source writes.
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