Agriculture ministry backs more Cypriot products for PDO and PGI status

Sylikou, Cyprus. The agriculture ministry is supporting more Cypriot products seeking Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, Minister Christos Senekis said on Sunday. Speaking at the first Centennial Olives Festival in Sylikou, he said the relevant support measure is expected to be announced soon.

Recognition of local products

Senekis said the aim is to strengthen “the recognition, the special identity and the added value of our local products”.

He highlighted the importance of the olive tree to Sylikou, describing the community’s ancient olive trees as “living monuments of nature and its history” that connect local production traditions with the region’s history and culture.

Olives are Cyprus’s leading tree crop, covering about 110,000 decares of cultivated land, with an annual production value of €26 million.

“But beyond the numbers, olive cultivation is a source of income for many families and an important part of our country’s agricultural activity,” he said. Supporting people who continue to cultivate, invest and produce is “a key priority of our agricultural policy”, he added.

Funding for agriculture and rural development

Senekis also discussed the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023–2027, through which €454 million is available for the countryside and rural communities.

Particular interest has been recorded in investment measures supporting the modernisation and improvement of agricultural holdings. A programme for young farmers also supports the renewal of the agricultural sector.

Sylikou is set to receive €2.9 million for actions that highlight local history, culture and tradition and support rural development.

Irrigation and desalination plans

Farmers are the first to experience the consequences of prolonged drought, Senekis said.

He said a Council of Ministers decision makes an additional 3.5 million cubic metres of water available for irrigation, while planning is underway for four new permanent desalination plants.