Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides on Sunday pledged to support farmers affected by the ongoing foot and mouth disease outbreak in the Larnaca district after meeting stakeholders at the presidential palace.
Government meeting and response
Christodoulides said he convened the meeting due to the importance of the situation, describing it as difficult for farmers and the government to manage. He said the government is “by your side” and “fully understand[s] the importance” of the agricultural sector for the domestic market, exports, and other sectors.
He said he wanted to “jointly define the strategy that we will follow” to address the outbreak.
Outbreak impact and spread
Thousands of animals have been culled since the outbreak was first detected in the Larnaca district. Recent indications show the disease has spread to farms both east and west of the town.
Financial support and vaccines
Cabinet on Thursday approved an advance payment of €50,000 per livestock unit for affected farmers, with additional financial support expected in the coming weeks.
Vaccines for pigs arrived from Germany on Saturday, while vaccines for cows were provided by the Turkish Cypriot authorities last month.
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