Cyprus agriculture minister presents recovery roadmap following foot-and-mouth disease outbreak

On November 10, 2026, Minister of Agriculture Christos Senekis briefed the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture regarding the primary sector's recovery following the recent foot-and-mouth disease crisis. The discussion addressed urgent challenges, including rising production costs and the implementation of support measures for livestock farmers. The Minister provided specific timelines for the reactivation of affected farms, beginning with a pilot program in Pakhna where 28 sentinel sheep have been introduced to monitor safety.

The recovery strategy includes a compensation framework for lost income covering a minimum of 12 months, with payments structured as 50% upon ordering animals and 50% upon their installation on farms. Additionally, the Ministry is consulting on three new support schemes worth €10 million, focused on livestock restocking, farm relocation, and the decongestion of high-density livestock zones. Farmers also received acknowledgment regarding the strain caused by production costs and existing €2.5 million support measures.

Regarding next steps, authorities will collect new samples from the sentinel animals in Pakhna within 21 to 30 days to verify they are free from foot-and-mouth disease. Should tests return negative, the gradual resumption of productive activities will proceed according to established protocols; if the disease is detected, animals will be culled.