Cypriot farmers protest over drought relief and crop disease damage

On October 20, 2026, vineyard owners from the Paphos district held a protest in Polemi, demanding government compensation for grape varieties affected by downy mildew (peronospora), which has caused significant production losses. This event follows widespread dissatisfaction among major agricultural organizations—including PEK, EKA, Panagrotikos, Nea Agrotiki, and Euroagrotikos—regarding the government’s decision to allocate only €4.6 million in European Union funds for 2025 drought relief.

Farmers and industry representatives argue that this funding is inadequate and ignores critical sectors such as viticulture, potato farming, and fruit production. They accuse the government of failing to utilize European regulations that allow for up to 200% supplementary funding. Additionally, farmers in the Troodos region reported an 85% destruction rate in their black and xynisteri grape varieties due to extreme weather and disease, warning that this will severely impact the production of traditional products like wine, zivania, and soutzouko.

Agricultural organizations have formally requested that President Nikos Christodoulides increase funding and broaden eligibility criteria to support both professional and small-scale farmers. While protests continue, the Agricultural Labour Party has also submitted an open letter proposing nine economic measures, including tax relief on fuel and electricity, to prevent further abandonment of agricultural land in mountainous areas.