Cyprus farm groups warn water shortages may affect potato planting

Nicosia, Cyprus. Agricultural organisations Pek, Eka and Panagrotikos on Wednesday voiced concern that persistent water shortages could affect the upcoming potato planting season, despite recent rainfall.

Water conservation

Pek president Christos Papapetrou said farmers were conserving water from government and irrigation projects, as well as from boreholes, rather than irrigating.

He said some areas had received sufficient rain and did not require further irrigation, allowing water to be saved from boreholes and reservoirs.

Papapetrou said mild rainfall, when not accompanied by hail or other extreme weather, was particularly beneficial for tree crops, including fruit, olive and citrus trees.

Reservoirs and potato crops

He said rainfall in August had been greater than usual for the season and that he expected inflows into some reservoirs. However, he warned that additional water reserves could be needed for new potato planting.

“If the necessary quantities of water are not provided, there is a risk of losing markets,” he said, adding that winter-season planting was about to begin.

The issue will be raised at next week’s meeting between agricultural organisations and new Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis, with particular emphasis on providing additional water for potato planting.

Call against premature optimism

Eka leader Panikos Hambas described the rains as very beneficial but cautioned against concluding that the water problem had been resolved.

He said the meeting with the minister would clarify how much water from the Southern Pipeline would be supplied to potato growers for the new planting season.