On 9 August, President Edgars Rinkēvičs paid a working visit to the Dobele municipality, where he met with the leadership of the Dobele municipality and representatives of the "Farmers' Saeima" association.
During his visit to the Dobele municipality, the President of Latvia got acquainted with the situation in the Tērvete Nature Park following the storm of 29 July, and with the progress made in repairing the damage caused by the storm in the parishes of Tērvete, which were severely affected by the storm of 7 August last year and which President Rinkēvičs had visited immediately the following day after the natural disaster. The President of Latvia commended the work of the Dobele municipality and its residents for their efforts in mitigating the damage caused by the previous year's storm: “Over the past year, natural disasters have caused serious damage in the Dobele municipality. I appreciate the dedication and commitment shown by the municipality and the people of Dobele in addressing the challenges posed by last year's storms. However, the storm at the end of July of this year has brought new challenges which we must overcome. I believe that the lessons garnered from the previous storm in identifying and dealing with the damages, as well as in information sharing and cooperation will be enabled a quicker recovery this time as well."
Additionally, the President of Latvia visited the panel manufacturer Tenax Panel, the food producer “Dobeles dzirnavnieks”, metal processing company “East Metal”, and the farm “Strazdi” to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the business landscape in the Dobele municipality. “Historically, Zemgale has been known as the Latvia’s granary, thanks to the efforts of Latvian agronomists and grain producers. The Dobele municipality showcases thriving business development in the field of traditional agriculture.
Today, for instance, I had the opportunity to gain insight into the entire grain production in the Dobele municipality from the sowing and harvesting of crops at the Strazdi farm to processing of the grain at the food production company "Dobeles dzirnavnieks". Additionally, the municipality is host to numerous high-tech companies, which generate great added value for the municipality's future development. There is reason for optimism that the Dobele municipality will continue to be one of the key breadbaskets of Latvia, thereby facilitating the growth of the entire region," said President Edgars Rinkēvičs.
During the meeting with representatives of the "Farmers' Saeima" association, the President of Latvia discussed issues related to agricultural insurance, especially for crops, the European Union regulation on nature restoration, and the situation with land reclamation in rural areas of Latvia.
At the conclusion of the visit, President Rinkēvičs participated in the Zemgale Festival at Tērvete Castle mound. The event featured the symbolic raising of the flag of Zemgale, which was officially approved by the Order of the President of Latvia on 29 September 2023.
