Farmers and parliament call for increased support amid rising production costs in Cyprus

Farmers' organizations and members of the Cypriot Parliament have called for immediate government intervention to address the rising costs of agricultural production, which they warn are threatening the viability of farms and producer incomes. The Panagrotikos farmers' association, represented by Secretary-General Anastasis Yiapanis, specifically highlighted the high cost of fertilizers, plant-protection products, fuel, and labor. As an island nation with no domestic industry for these inputs, Cyprus relies on imports, which compounds financial strain on local producers.

During a recent Parliamentary Agriculture Committee meeting, lawmakers from AKEL, including Yiannakis Gavriel, criticized current government aid as insufficient, citing that fuel subsidies only cover approximately 10 percent of agricultural consumption. While the Ministry of Agriculture, represented by official Andreas Alexandrou, presented two new grant schemes for fertilizers and colored fuel, critics described these measures as a drop in the ocean compared to the reported 10 million euro annual burden from fuel prices alone.

Minister of Agriculture Christos Senekis noted that the government is processing additional support measures and has secured 4.6 million euros in EU funding. Meanwhile, the ministry is overseeing the recovery of livestock units affected by foot-and-mouth disease, with operations expected to resume by late October or early November.