A healthy start to every day: children in Latvia’s schools continue to receive free Latvian-produced food – milk, fruit and vegetables – under the EU-supported “School Milk and Fruit” programme implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture. Over the years, the support programme for the supply of fruit, vegetables and milk to educational institutions has become very popular among children and young people. Support applicants can apply to participate in the programme in the 2026/2027 school year and register educational institutions for participation by 10 September.
According to data from the Rural Support Service (RSS), 1,322 educational institutions participated in the programme in the 2025/2026 school year. Fruit and vegetables were distributed in 1,301 educational institutions, while milk was distributed in 1,223 educational institutions. A total of 262,080 pupils (97% of the target group) received 884.4 tonnes of free fruit and vegetables, while 254,529 pupils (94% of the target group) received 2,267.6 tonnes of milk. In total, under the EU-funded programmes supporting the distribution of products to schools, more than 52,500 tonnes of milk and milk products have been distributed in Latvia since 2004 and more than 13,600 tonnes of fruit and vegetables since 2010.
Children should be encouraged from an early age to consume healthy, locally produced food on a daily basis, so that eating healthy products becomes a habit and an essential part of their diet. As young people grow older, this should encourage them to choose a healthy diet and fresh, tasty local products. Local and regional food products are a sustainable choice, as they are suited to the climatic and seasonal conditions of the respective region, provide high nutritional value and help reduce the environmental impact of the food supply chain. The high level of participation by educational institutions and the large number of pupils receiving free milk, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables, during the school year demonstrate the popularity of the programme. Free milk has been distributed in schools for the 22nd consecutive year, while fresh fruit and vegetables have been distributed for the 16th consecutive year.
Minister for Agriculture Uldis Augulis: “Milk and milk products produced by Latvian farmers, as well as locally grown fruit and vegetables, provided free of charge to our schoolchildren, represent several wins through a single programme. Healthy and fresh food, with a short supply chain from the farm to the school table, ensures excellent taste and freshness, while for Latvian farmers it is an opportunity to increase the market for their products. The “School Milk and Fruit” programme is an investment in the health of our children and in the local economy.”
Under the programme, children in pre-primary education institutions and pupils in Grades 1–9 can receive fresh fruit (apples, pears and cranberries), vegetables (carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, turnips, kohlrabi, pumpkins and parsnips) or assortments of these products, as well as pasteurised milk without additives, free of charge at least once a week or more frequently during the distribution period of the school year (until the end of the 2024/2025 school year, products were distributed three times a week). The distribution period starts on 1 October and runs until 31 May for pupils in Grades 1–9 and until 31 July for children in pre-primary education institutions. However, products may be distributed to children until the end of September if support applicants still have funding and products available.
The availability of products during the distribution period is affected by their seasonal availability, the available budget and support rates, as well as funding limitations. Each educational institution is allocated an individual support envelope for the supply of products, which depends on the number of children registered at the educational institution. Informative and educational information related to the support programme is regularly published and updated on the programme’s website.
The support programme for supplying schools with fruit, vegetables and milk has operated within a single framework since the 2017/2018 school year, bringing together the two previously separate support programmes – “School Milk”, introduced in the 2004/2005 school year, and “Fruit for Schools”, introduced in the 2010/2011 school year.
