Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides met experts and representatives of farmers on Tuesday to discuss the government’s handling of the ongoing outbreak of foot and mouth disease at farms across the island.
Meetings with experts and farmers
His first meeting was with the epidemiological committee formed to tackle the disease. The experts were expected to brief him on the situation in the field and assess the measures taken so far. He was then due to meet representatives of farmers’ organisations, who had protested outside the presidential palace on Friday.
Farmers’ concerns
Farmers’ representatives told the Cyprus News Agency on Monday that they expected to ask Christodoulides to examine how measures are being implemented and to ensure better coordination in monitoring their implementation. At Friday’s protest, farmers demanded an immediate halt to the culling of animals on farms where foot and mouth disease is detected, faster compensation payments and a meeting with Christodoulides.
Compensation and culling rules
The government announced last month that it will pay farmers between €43 and €178 per regular sheep and goat and between €47 and €420 per sheep and goat deemed to be of “high genetic value” as compensation if they are culled as a result of the disease. It will also pay between €150 and €1,500 per regular cow culled, with the amount rising to up to €2,500 for exceptional cattle.
Official position
Farmers have remained opposed to the culling of animals on farms where the disease is detected, but officials have repeatedly said that culling all animals on an infected farm is a requirement of European Union law and is not negotiable.
