A farmer's view on the Baltic Sea - MTK

3 Findings based on inter<strong>view</strong>s
3.1 FARMING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ISLANDS
The farmers inter<strong>view</strong>ed found the opportunities for being a farmer very positive especially
in Åland, Gotland and Öland. Good climate and soils, short distances as well as close contact
to customers were regarded positive in a small island. Positive spirit among farmers was
something that the farmers on the Swedish islands mentioned and were happy about. The
products of the island have a good special brand, thought some farmers of Gotland and
Bornholm. The EU supports were generally regarded as a good thing for the farming in
Estonian islands. Finally, the farmer’s own activity was also seen as an important part of the
success.
The downsides of farming on an island were pretty much the same in all islands. There are
difficulties in the connections to mainland, e.g. when quickly needing spare parts, and
transportation costs are high. There can also be additional costs due to a lack of competition
because some companies have almost a monopoly in the area. It is also difficult to find more
cultivation land with a reasonable price in a restricted area. The farmers on Bornholm were
not happy that there are a lot of restrictive rules in Denmark concerning agriculture.
A few farmers said that “it is a lifestyle to be a farmer”. On the other hand, there was also a
comment “The production is nearly totally run by rules, not by professionalism and
biological factors. The pride to be a farmer is for quite a great part taken away”. These two
sentences describe the wide difference between the feelings for being a farmer.
3.2 THE FUTURE PROSPECTS AT THE FARMS
In these 30 farms, there was a lot of faith in the future. Nineteen farms believed that in five
years (in 2016) the economy at their farm will be better than today. Two farms believed that
their economy will be worse and the rest thought it to be the same as it is now.
Twenty farms planned to increase their production in the next five years. Two of these farms
were also planning a change in type of production. Seven farms thought that their production
will be the same in five years; one farm thought that the production will decrease and one
farm planned to cease the production. Besides increasing the amount produced there were
also other targets: find out subsidiary trades like tourism, farm store or wind mills, no bulk
products, and increase the degree of processing. Two farms were planning a generation
change.
The plans to continue and even increase the production as well as confidence in better
economy in the future in these farms gives positive signals about the farming although
there are a lot of economic and other pressures towards farms nowadays.
10