Nicosia, Cyprus. The cabinet on Wednesday approved €35.6 million in compensation for farmers affected by foot and mouth disease, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said.
Five measures approved
Panayiotou said five measures would be implemented to support farmers, as decided by a special advisory committee in which agricultural organisations and farmers also participated.
The measures include immediate payment of compensation for animals culled; up to 12 months income for those who wish to reactivate their farms; restructuring farms with high genetic value animals; covering feeding costs for the period farm animals will not be contributing to farmers’ income; and appointing a state officer for each farmer to provide assistance as necessary.
Compensation rates for culled animals
Compensation for animals culled has been set at €47 to €420 for each sheep or goat, €150 to €2,500 for each cow, and €35 to €5,000 for each pig.
Panayiotou said the amounts were higher than the average paid in the EU.
Cabinet decision and methodology
Panayiotou said the cabinet approved the measures based on the advisory committee’s decisions and according to a methodology developed by the Agricultural Research Institute, with support from the agriculture department and veterinary services.
How do you think the five measures will affect farmers’ ability to restart operations after the outbreak?
