What changes did Covid-19 make to the School Milk and Fruit Scheme? / Article / LSM.lv

The free school milk program in Latvia was introduced 16 years ago, but 10 years ago preschoolers and 1-9. Class students also began to receive free fruit and vegetables three times a week. During this time, 37,000 tons of pasteurized milk were drunk and 8,000 tons of fruits and vegetables were eaten. The application for the program in the new school year has just ended, and the Rural Support Service (RSS) continues to evaluate applicants. What changes did the Covid-19 pandemic bring to last year’s School Milk and School Fruit Scheme and what should be changed?

The School Milk and Fruit Scheme is implemented in many European countries and aims to promote healthy eating and eating habits among children, with a special emphasis on local and seasonal products and their consumption.

Inga Orlova, an expert from the Market and Direct Support Department of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), assessed –

Despite the fact that the Covid-19 crisis, when pupils studied remotely in the spring, did not allow the full supply of milk and fruit to be completed, the year as a whole was a success for the program.

“In the second half of the year, the program was hit by a crisis, as were many other areas. But many of the products had already been distributed. Distribution begins on 1 October and lasts until 31 May for grades 1-9 and until 31 July for nurseries. Fruit and vegetables are usually available until early spring, so by February in most cases the fruit has already been distributed, “explained a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Last year, the milk processing company “Elpa” delivered milk to 133 educational institutions and 20,000 children and students. The company’s commercial director Ritvars Roga said that last year’s program will continue until the end of September.

“We have Kurzeme, there are pre-school institutions and private schools in Riga, as well as Ādaži, Salaspils, Ogre. We take our goods to Riga every day and also deliver them to schools. There are students who like to drink milk, but no longer want from 5th to 9th grade. to drink. (..)

Small rural schools are a difficult issue. Milk [uzglabāšanas] the deadline is short, you have to drive twice a week, and the road costs something. If there are 20, 40 children in the school, then it is not worth it, “admitted the company ‘s commercial director.

Guntis Ofkants grows apples in Zs “Eglāji” of Smārde parish, Engure region, and takes half of the cultivated to schools. He participates in the “Milk and Fruit for School” program together with members of the cooperative “Golden Apple Tree” from Valmiera, Sigulda, Saldus and Jēkabpils.

“We teach children to eat apples so that they know not only bananas and other exotic fruits bought by their parents. And the second is to keep children healthy so they can run and jump. We usually deliver once a week, at the beginning of the week so that children can eat apples that week. , because many schools have problems with fruit storage, you can not just look at how to earn more.

We earn more in big schools, but in Riga – God does not give if there is a worm in the apple. The teacher and the parent have not seen the worm either, but the rural children understand it. In Riga we see that a child just scrapes an apple,

so we respect the children of the countryside and will lead even if there are no big pluses. We mainly supply caterers. We give the bill of lading, the person signs, after a few days the money enters the account and everything is in order, “Ofkants said.

Orlova, an expert from the Market and Direct Support Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, assessed that the “Milk and School Fruit” program is being implemented in Latvia without major problems.

“Of course, there have been situations in a particular region where we cannot find a supplier of products, but we are solving this problem and we have to say that there is a lot of interest and cooperation is very successful for the producers. Although the volume of products distributed is not national. “The program is quite a significant source of sales for each individual manufacturer,” added a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture.

In Latvia, 1.5 million euros have been allocated for the supply and distribution of fruit and vegetables, and 2.7 million euros for the supply and distribution of milk. Funding is provided by both the state and the European Union.

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