Farmers in Paphos plan protest over irrigation water shortages

Farmers in eastern Paphos have scheduled a peaceful protest for Tuesday to demand access to water for seasonal crops. Charalambos Pittokopitis, President of the Paphos EOA, stated that producers are seeking minimum water quantities necessary for their agricultural cycles. On April 22, the Water Advisory Committee decided on zero water allocation for open crops, citing then-current water levels. However, producers argue that dam reserves have since improved significantly due to continuous inflow. Minister of Agriculture Maria Panayiotou held an emergency meeting on Thursday with the EOA, the Water Development Department (WDD), and producers to review the updated water balance data. While the WDD aims to maintain strategic water reserves, farmers claim the current supply is sufficient to support their crops. A formal written update on the water balance is expected to be submitted to the Ministry on Tuesday, with producers hoping for a positive decision regarding water distribution.