The Ministry of Agriculture is preparing to update the rules for the implementation of the rural development intervention measure "Protection against damage caused by large predators" of the Lithuanian Strategic Plan for Agriculture and Rural Development for 2023-2027.

The aim is not only to clarify the assessment of the selection of applications for support and the eligibility requirements for the protection measures, but also to update the groups of municipalities eligible to receive support and to increase the maximum amount of support for a single applicant.

The breakdown of the groups of municipalities has been updated on the basis of up-to-date data provided by the Ministry of the Environment (number of damage cases):

Group I of municipalities (101 or more damage cases): Alytus r., Anykščiai r., Lazdijai r., Molėtai r., Utena r. and Vilnius r.;    

II group of municipalities (51–100 cases of damage):  Ignalina r., Kaišiadorys r., Klaipėda r., Kupiškis r., Plungė r., Prienai r., Šilalė r., Širvintos r., Širvintai r., Telšiai r., Vilkaviskis r.,   and Zarasai r.;  

III group of municipalities (10–50 cases of damage): Biržai county, Druskininkai county, Elektrėnai county, Jonava county, Jurbarkas county, Kalvarija county, Kaunas county, Kėdainiai county, Kelme county, Marijampolė Municipality, Pagėgiai Municipality, Panevėžys Municipality, Pasvalys Municipality, Raseiniai Municipality, Rietavas Municipality, Rokiškis Municipality, Šakiai Municipality, Šalčininkai Municipality, Švenčionys Municipality, Tauragė Municipality, Trakai Municipality, Ukmergė Municipality, and Varėna Municipality.

The Rules propose to replace the electric net 1.2 m protective fence with a fixed 2 m high non-electric net fence and a fixed 2 m high non-electric net fence with an electric bar/wire stretched in front of the fence to protect farm animals from wolves.

To take account of the increase in the cost of installing and purchasing new, higher fencing, the draft rules increase the maximum amount of support per applicant to EUR 12 000 (previously the maximum amount was EUR 10 000).

The draft rules will be subject to public and stakeholder consultation until 12 June 2024

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From the call for applications held between November and December last year, 17 applicants submitted applications: 15 farmers and 2 legal entities.