Grape production has fallen dramatically, members of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture said on Tuesday, calling on the government to support the wine industry.
The Committee, whose main agenda items were the purchase of grapes by wineries and long-term solutions to the problems facing the viticulture sector, focused today on the government’s decision regarding compensation for vineyard owners affected by downy mildew.
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In remarks made after the conclusion of the session of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, DISY MP Charalambos Pazaros said that the problem facing the viticulture sector cannot be addressed every year with temporary solutions.
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“Today in the Agriculture Committee, we focused on the government’s decision regarding compensation for winegrowers affected by downy mildew in the districts of Limassol and Paphos,” he said.
He explained that the Ministry of Agriculture has activated a support plan for the affected winegrowers, including additional grape varieties following on-site inspections and requests, particularly for the Paphos district. “As we were informed, the compensation is based on the National State Aid Framework approved by the European Commission,” he added.
He noted that the funds are scheduled to be disbursed by 2026 through the Agricultural Production Protection and Insurance Fund.
“At DISY, we will continue to monitor the progress and implementation of the support plan. At the same time, we must take a comprehensive view of the issue to ensure that Cypriot viticulture remains an important part of our agricultural production and our heritage,” he added.
AKEL MP and Vice Chair of the Agriculture Committee, Ephraim Christou, said in his remarks that the Cypriot wine industry is experiencing one of its worst years in recent history, with production having fallen dramatically and the risk of its disappearance becoming apparent.
“Following the fires and the drought, producers are now facing severe damage from downy mildew,” he said.
According to Mr. Christou, “it is unacceptable that producers with losses of up to 70% risk receiving not even €1,” adding that “extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary decisions.”
He called on the government to immediately assess further ways to provide support and to assume its fair share of responsibility.
“As AKEL—the Left Social Alliance—we will continue to exert pressure in every way possible. We emphasize that support for viticulture is now a matter of political will, and it is the state’s responsibility to actively assist in saving the primary sector,” he added.
DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvides stated that grape production has declined by 80% over the past 40 years.
“For many decades, viticulture has enabled families to send their children to school, and enabled the families themselves to make a living, but this year the combination of a heatwave and downy mildew has devastated production,” he said.
He added that “as we were told at today’s meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, wine producers have seen a 75% drop in grape purchases compared to last August.” “In other words, the wineries have purchased fewer grapes because they cannot find any,” he added.
As a result, Mr. Savvidis continued, they are unable to produce their own products.
“For this reason, we are asking the government to make a policy decision to support these producers—the grape growers—so that they can remain in business,” he said. “Vine growers,” he noted, “also act as guardians of the environment itself,” recalling that “where there were vineyards in the recent catastrophic fires, we were spared property damage.”
On the other hand, he added, “European countries with large grape productions, such as France, Spain, and Italy, are taking measures to ease the loan, tax, and insurance obligations of those affected—and here in Cyprus, our government must do the same, —and I appeal to my friend, Minister Senekis, to take measures so that we can protect the producers.”
In closing, Mr. Savvides expressed his hope that next Tuesday, when the Minister will be with them, they will hear good news.
Source: CNA
