Farmers in eastern Paphos plan protest over water allocation

Farmers of seasonal open crops in eastern Paphos are organizing a peaceful protest on Tuesday at 10:00 AM at the intersection of the old Paphos-Limassol road and the airport road. The farmers are protesting against the Water Development Department's decision to significantly reduce water allocations for irrigation compared to the previous year. While the Water Development Department aims to maintain strategic water reserves in dams over a three-year horizon, the farmers argue that current rainfall levels allow for greater water distribution. Charalambos Pittokopitis, President of the Paphos Water Board (EOA), stated that while the Advisory Water Committee decided on zero water allocation for open crops on April 22, current dam levels have improved since then. Minister of Agriculture Maria Panayiotou met with stakeholders, including EOA Paphos and the Water Development Department, last Thursday to discuss updated water balance data. Organizers, including farmer Michalis Ignatiou, noted that a previous protest was suspended following the Minister's intervention, but frustrations remain due to a lack of sufficient water supply. Farmers are now awaiting a formal decision from the Minister following the submission of new data.