The Lithuanian government declared a state of emergency in the country's agricultural sector on Friday because of severe drought.
The announcement came after a special meeting of the cabinet. Losses to farmers caused both by summer drought and by severe cold this winter have been estimated at over 600 million litas (175 million euros, 222 million dollars), according the agriculture ministry.
The Lithuanian Agriculture Institute has estimated that crop yields in the Baltic state will drop 30 percent compared to the average for the last three years, national radio reported.
"Declaring a state of emergency is a formal step that shows the agriculture ministry has taken into account the situation of farmers," ministry official Rimantas Krasuckis told AFP.
Krasuckis said agriculture ministry officials have asked the Lithuanian government to pay out 200 million litas to partially cover farmers' losses. But Friday's cabinet meeting did not discuss compensation.
The mercury hit 35.2 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in northern Lithuania in the first week of July, the highest in the Baltic state this summer. The country's hottest recorded temperature was 37.5 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit )in 1994.
