Local Product Share in Stores: Only a Third of Milk, Half of Chicken
In major Latvian retail chains, only a third of milk, half of cheese and chicken meat are locally produced. Producers raise concerns, while retailers cite limited production capacity and seasonality.
New data on the share of local products in Latvia's largest supermarket chains has sparked a debate between producers and retailers. According to information obtained by Latvian Public Media, only one-third of the milk sold in stores is produced in Latvia. For cheese and chicken, the local share stands at about half of the total assortment.
In the case of flour, local production accounts for less than half, while onions from Latvian growers make up just over 50 percent of the supply. These figures indicate that despite significant contributions in some categories, imports still play a major role overall.
Producers have sounded the alarm, arguing that the current share is insufficient and limits the growth potential of Latvian farmers. They urge for greater local representation on store shelves.
Retailers counter that local producers cannot increase output, and seasonality also affects availability. For instance, certain products are only available during harvest seasons and cannot be supplied year-round. It remains unclear whether measures to address this imbalance will be pursued in the near future.
