@article{Duzinskas:183403,
      recid = {183403},
      author = {Duzinskas, Raimundas},
      title = {The Formulation of Environmental Policies for a  Market-oriented Agriculture in the Baltic States},
      address = {1995},
      number = {998-2016-77989},
      pages = {9},
      year = {1995},
      abstract = {This paper deals with environmental and agricultural  problems of countries in
transition from centralized  planning to a market economy, using Lithuania  (an
independent democratic state since March 1990) as a  case study. Conclusions
and recommendations made here are  to a great extent common to all Baltic
countries since the  ongoing processes are similar in many respects, even  if
they have some distinctive features. Lithuania is the  largest country of the
three Baltic states, being inhabited  by 3.75 million people, of whom 31.5 per
cent live in the  countryside. The territory covers 65 300 square  kilometres,
with forests covering 27.9 per cent of total  area and farming utilizing 54.0 per
cent, of which 85 per  cent is ploughed land and pastures, 13 per cent meadows
and  natural pastures, and 1.6 per cent gardens.
Under the  conditions of the former centrally planned economy,  decisions
were usually taken on the basis of economic  factors alone, almost to the
complete neglect of ecological  issues. Furthermore, even proposals supported
by the  results of careful research had to pass what can only be  described as
'ideological tests'. At present agricultural  and environmental problems are
having to be tackled against  the background of unfavourable circumstances.
There is  continuous economic depression and a deficiency in public  finance,
difficulty over the financial state of  enterprises, and lack of experienced specialists.
The  ecological situation, inherited from the past, is one in  which
pollution from industrial, transport and agricultural  activities has damaged
about two-thirds of the country,  some of which is damaged beyond easy
recovery.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/183403},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.183403},
}