Nicosia, Cyprus. The cabinet approved an advance payment of up to €50,000 per livestock unit for farmers affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Authorities said the measure aims to contain the virus and limit financial losses in the livestock sector.
Advance payment and assessment process
Agriculture minister Maria Panayiotou said the payment will be made as an initial instalment to cover loss of income, with the amount varying according to the number of animals in each affected unit. She described the measure as an immediate intervention to support the primary sector during a critical period.
Panayiotou said the advance payment addresses income losses reflected in milk deliveries and tax declarations, while separate assessments will determine the value of animals destroyed.
A special committee will be established with the participation of the veterinary services, the agricultural research institute and representatives of livestock breeders. The committee will assess each case individually and determine a tailored compensation package to support farmers in restarting production.
Total compensation costs have not yet been calculated, as new cases continue to emerge and each farm’s production capacity differs.
Culls and new confirmed case
Authorities have culled around 20,500 animals across 23 livestock units in the wider Larnaca area as part of containment measures following confirmed infections. Veterinary services also confirmed a new positive case at a unit with around 500 animals in Dromolaxia.
Plans to replenish herds
The government has begun identifying disease-free regions abroad from which animals could eventually be imported to replenish herds once affected areas in Cyprus have been disinfected and declared free of the virus.
How do you think the advance payment and tailored compensation process will affect farmers’ ability to restart production?