The Ministry of Agriculture is developing a program to provide additional support to the primary sector in order to address the rising costs of fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural diesel, and is planning for foot-and-mouth disease-resistant livestock farming, said the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, Christos Senekis, on Tuesday.
Speaking after meetings held in the communities of Malouda and Paleochori, the Minister of Agriculture expressed his belief that by the end of this month or early next month, the livestock farms affected by foot-and-mouth disease will be able to resume operations.
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Initially, Mr. Senekis said that the visit to Malounta and Paleochori is part of a series of visits he is making to rural and mountainous areas in order to hear directly from producers and local authorities about the issues, problems, and challenges they face so that “we can develop specific solutions and try to respond.”
He added that “we fully understand that the reality for farmers and producers is difficult, which is why we are striving to find immediate solutions and, above all, to invest in the resilience and competitiveness of the primary sector as a whole.”
He further noted that to achieve this goal, by 2026, with a budget of €2.5 million, the Ministry intervened to alleviate the problem faced by producers due to the increased costs of fertilizers and agricultural diesel.
Mr. Senekis noted that through a substantiated request submitted to the EU, “we managed to secure an additional 4.6 million for the benefit of producers, which will be made available in the very near future.”
Responding to a question regarding water management plans, the Minister of Agriculture said that regarding the dam in Mylouri—a long-standing request from the community— the Water Resources Development Department has signed an agreement with the Troodos Region Communities Development Company to proceed with the call for bids for the construction of this infrastructure project, which is of great importance to the region. He clarified that the project will be funded by the Water Development Department, with a budget to be determined through procedures to be followed in the coming days.
Responding to a question about production costs, he clarified that a program is currently underway with 1.5 million euros in European funding to mitigate the increased cost of fertilizers and the increased cost of agricultural diesel, noting that, because prices continue to rise, the Ministry is developing programs so that “we can provide even more assistance.”
Responding to a question about delays in implementing preventive measures regarding the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in livestock farms, Mr. Senekis said that during his participation in the recent Council of Agriculture Ministers in Brussels, it was determined that Cyprus had strictly implemented all protocols to significantly limit the problem foot-and-mouth disease, and for this reason, Cyprus will receive the highest percentage of the compensation to be paid to the affected farms.
“Consequently, I believe that, on the part of the government, everything possible has been done over the past period to limit the problem,” he said, adding that “we fully understand the difficulties faced by livestock farmers whose animals were culled, and for this reason, the Ministry of Agriculture is planning for the future of the livestock sector with thesupporting livestock farmers and enabling serious professionals to resume operations on a more resilient and competitive basis.
Furthermore, in response to a question, he estimated that the resumption of operations at the affected livestock farms will be possible by the end of this month or early next month.
Theofilos Miltiadis, Community Leader of Paleochori, Morphou, stated in his remarks that he hoped the Mylouri Dam would be completed during the tenure of Minister Seneki, who will also officiate at the dam’s inauguration. Mr. Miltiadis expressed the view that the dam will be the heart of the square and of Serrachis, which runs through the community.
“Last year, we watered the plane trees so they wouldn’t wither and Paleochori wouldn’t be lost,” he continued. He also said that we understand the difficulties, and that the heads of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Development Agencies (TAY) understand the difficulties faced by the farmers and the community. Forming our own opinion is also the reason why we requested that the meeting be held in Paleochori. “We’re not asking for anything unreasonable, but simply the basic necessities of life,” he continued, adding that “Paleochori is showing signs of development, retaining its residents despite the problems they face, and experiencing population growth.”
“We’re asking for incentives to help residents stay and for ways to protect the environment,” he added.
Responding to a question, he expressed his hope that, with good coordination among the relevant agencies, any obstacles would be overcome so that the dam could be completed in a year and a half.
Source: CNA
