The brothers saw where the future of the farm might lie and chose the eggs.

Many farmers have already used the Lithuanian Rural Development Fund for 2014-2020 for such purposes. Program measure (PDR) “Investments in tangible assets”, area of ​​activity “Support for investments in agricultural holdings”.

Build laying farms

The EU is increasingly focusing on sustainable food supply systems, the importance of which has been further highlighted by the COVID-19 outbreak. When state borders were closed during the quarantine and there was much uncertainty, people appreciated more than ever the importance of purchasing essential food products from trusted local producers.

Supplying consumers with the final product produced on the farm is the main objective of brothers Ignas and Stepas and sisters Kristina Kazlauskai, who grow organically in the Kupiškis district. Farmers pursue such goals during the 2014-2020 period. The PDR measures the area of ​​activity “Investments in tangible assets” “Support for investments in agricultural holdings”.

The project “Raising organic laying hens on the Ignas Kazlauskas farm” received 200 thousand. EUR, and for the development of the poultry farm Kristina Kazlauskaitė – 209.5 Cerdocyon. euros.

“Modern poultry farms have already had to be built, buildings have been designed, building permits have been obtained, but the work has been suspended by COVID-19, the postponement last year was also necessary due to losses caused by the drought. . So it took a while, but the works continue and the projects are being executed ”, explained I. Kazlauskas.

The farmer said that the poultry projects implemented by him and his sister are similar, because the objective is to supply organic eggs to the market. “Originally it was planned to keep 6,000 laying hens. If all goes well, we are thinking of expanding. If we succeed, we may produce more products ”, shared the owner of the organic farm.

I. Kazlauskas hinted that similar investment projects, which contemplate the construction of poultry farms and the production of organic eggs, are being implemented by more organic colleagues.

“There are like-minded people who are committed to such investments. We see that there is a need for such organic products, so we decided to shorten the food chain. We grow organic grains, so why sell them as raw materials if we can feed the chickens and supply the market with eggs? By implementing, we plan to concentrate a greater amount of production, “explained the farmer.

Work harmoniously shoulder to shoulder

Brothers and sisters cultivate together, sharing work with each other in a balanced way. He started farming fifteen years ago and immediately chose the ecological direction.

“We had run away from home, tried other jobs, we had to work abroad, but then we all returned to our land and we had no regrets,” said the farmer located in the Kupiškis district.

The Kazlauskas do not throw themselves fully into poultry, now they raise organic chickens organically. “Consumers value an organic product. After tasting it comes back. Although our chicken is organic, we still cannot label it as organic, as the slaughterhouse where the birds are slaughtered does not have that status. way, because we are setting up a slaughterhouse on our farm, ”said the farmer.

RDP support – salvation

Similar projects are being implemented and the same type of poultry farms are being built by several more farmers from various districts of the country, belonging to the BIO LEUA cooperative established by the members of the Lithuanian Organic Farms Association, for which a significant amount of organic eggs to the market.

According to the head of the Lithuanian Association of Organic Farms, the owner of the organic farm Saulius Daniulis, if everyone concentrates the production for sale, the production volumes of organic eggs in the Baltic States will be the largest. It is also implementing a large-scale investment project and is launching a new activity, poultry. The farmer is preparing to build a poultry farm where he will keep laying hens.

“One by one we would be insignificant, but if we cooperate we will have a truckload of eggs in two days,” said S. Daniulis.

Farmers implementing investment projects that will allow them to participate in the production of organic eggs also evaluated the possibilities of realization. They would have an attractive local market, farmers would like to develop a short food supply chain and supply organic eggs to kindergartens, schools and catering establishments.

“We plan to actively participate in the short food supply chain and supply fresh and organic products to local consumers. It would be great for children to use these products in kindergartens and schools,” said the farmer.

Organic farm owners, who are determined to build poultry farms, unanimously emphasize that in addition to the 2014-2020 campaign PDR support would not be possible to implement such an idea. Banks would not lend as much, so financing the PDR is the only way out.

An additional invitation this year

The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) reports that this year. subway. September 2 was adjusted for support requests in the 2014-2020 period Calendar for the adoption of PDR actions in 2020.

This year, it is also planned to invite applications under the PDR measure “Investments in tangible assets”, activity area “Support for investments in agricultural holdings”. Applications will be accepted starting November 2. Until 18 December.

Aid can be requested by natural persons engaged in agricultural activities and duly registered as holding and agricultural holding in their own name, as well as by legal persons engaged in agricultural activities and duly registered as holding in their own name.

The specialists of the Ministry of Agriculture recall that the activity supports the production of agricultural products,
processing (sorting, packing, assembling, etc.) of agricultural products (produced (grown) on the farm), processing and marketing, as well as the purchase and sale of agricultural products produced or grown on its properties by a recognized agricultural cooperative, acquired the processing of agricultural products produced or grown on its holdings by its members and the disposal of food and non-food products produced from them.

The funds come from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the state budget.