Terras (Eesti 200), appearing on the "Esimene stuudio" evening talk show, emphasized that the foundation of rural life in Estonia is high-quality food provided by the country's agricultural producers.

"We have very innovative and forward-thinking farmers who put food on all our tables — food that is high-quality and meets safety standards, which helps us maintain a healthy diet," said Terras.

He noted that during his short time in office, he has met with many Estonian agricultural businesses and believes the country's food security situation is far from poor.

"In fact, there are many areas where the situation is quite good. In grain cultivation, we produce nearly 300 percent of our domestic needs. Self-sufficiency refers to the ratio of what we produce versus what we consume. Producing 300 percent means we fully meet our own consumption and still have significant capacity to export. The same goes for the dairy sector, where we export surplus products. That means, in terms of self-sufficiency, we can be confident that bread and porridge will remain on our tables," Terras affirmed.

However, the regional and agriculture minister acknowledged that the situation in poultry farming is less favorable.

"When it comes to chickens, the most critical issue is that our chicks come from abroad. They are imported from Denmark and other countries, which raises the question of how we can develop chick rearing here in Estonia. We're currently discussing how to support this at the national level. If borders were to close, our chicken meat supply would run out in 46 days. That's a significant capability gap that we need to address," Terras said.

To solve this issue, Terras believes Estonia needs to build a hatchery.

"We need to build a hatchery so that we can incubate chicks here and supply both egg producers and broiler farmers," he said.

Terras also sees significant room for development in Estonia's meat production sector.

"In pork production, the issue is that Estonians consume a lot of pork. Looking at global trends, white meat consumption is on the rise, but that doesn't mean our dietary habits will change rapidly. Pork remains very important for Estonians, and so does its production. The same applies to beef, where most consumption is in the form of ground meat. Both are sectors with room for growth. We're in ongoing dialogue with the industry to support this — whether through breeding programs or other state-supported measures. We're monitoring and promoting this closely," said Terras.

The minister also stressed that Estonia cannot afford to rely on countries like Poland in the event of a crisis.

"The reality is that we can't always count on foreign countries at any given moment. However, I've spoken with colleagues from Latvia and Lithuania to ensure that in a crisis, there are goods — like grain and dairy — that they might produce more of, or we might produce more of, and we can figure out how to keep goods moving across borders. We're also talking to countries across the Baltic Sea about how they could help supply us. Right now, while there is no crisis, is precisely the time to prepare — to ensure supply chains are functioning and in place so that we can receive emergency assistance and put food on our tables," said Terras.

According to the minister, calculations have already been made to increase the country's self-sufficiency.

"For example, in poultry farming, we have one large producer — which is great because we have that capacity — but it would also be very beneficial to have more small producers. We're looking into how broiler farming could be done not only by large producers but also by smaller, potentially organic, operations. We know the numbers and the direction we need to head in, and I believe local chick hatching would significantly contribute to that," the minister said.

Terras believes that improving Estonians' dietary preferences starts with raising awareness.

"People's food choices are what they are. Awareness is key, and raising awareness is also a matter for the next generation — who are already much more informed about the impact of their choices and where food comes from. I think these preferences stem from understanding the realities of food production," said Terras.

The minister also said that more important than who holds the post of regional and agriculture minister is making progress in improving animal welfare. According to Terras, this is an area where Estonia can demonstrate the values its people live by.

A few months ago, attorney-at-law and former Chancellor of Justice Allar Jõks said on "Esimene stuudio" that he did not understand the rationale for a proposed ban on keeping hens in battery cages, especially since the bill itself stated that it would significantly harm both consumers' purchasing power and the competitiveness of producers. Jõks questioned the reasoning behind moving forward with such a ban when neighboring countries — Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — had no such restrictions.

Terras, however, said that neither he nor many egg producers see the situation as dire as Jõks described it.

"If the transition period is long enough, it's possible to adapt to expected market demands with the help of government investments. The global trend is that consumers are becoming more informed, and many countries around us are moving toward barn egg production. In Scandinavia, this is already very widespread. Latvia's largest producer is gradually transitioning as well, and many retailers have said they will no longer stock caged eggs. The state can support this transition, and I believe this presents an opportunity for egg producers too," said Terras.

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