Nicosia, Cyprus. Livestock farmers in Cyprus remain in dispute with the government over compensation linked to the foot and mouth disease outbreak, with representatives warning protests remain possible if concerns are not addressed.
Disagreement after talks with agriculture minister
Speaking on Wednesday after negotiations with Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou the previous night, “voice of the livestock farmers” spokeswoman Stella Petrou said disagreement over compensation measures continued despite ongoing discussions between the ministry and farming groups.
“When the discussion came to the compensation issue, we remain at loggerheads,” Petrou told the Cyprus News Agency, adding that farmers had not been properly informed about how payments had been calculated.
“As the voice of the livestock farmers, we do not accept that the compensation package will be able to deliver what they suggest,” she said.
Cabinet-approved package and compensation ranges
The cabinet-approved package includes five support measures covering compensation for culled animals, income support for up to 12 months for farmers wishing to restart operations, restructuring support for farms with high genetic value animals, coverage of feed costs during recovery periods and the appointment of a state officer for each affected farmer.
Compensation for culled animals ranges from €47 to €420 for sheep and goats, €150 to €2,500 for cattle and €35 to €5,000 for pigs, with payments determined according to age, gender, genetics and other criteria.
Government timeline and president’s comments
Panayiotou said earlier on Wednesday that payments would begin immediately and that the government aimed to complete all eligible payments within May.
President Nikos Christodoulides said the compensation package was “up to 200 per cent higher” than equivalent payments in other European countries, which he attributed to the government’s fiscal policy.
Farmers seek clearer criteria
Petrou said that while the package may appear comparatively high against payments in other European countries, farmers could not support the framework without clear details on the criteria used for each category of animal.
“The amount of compensation is quite high compared to other European countries, but without knowing the criteria and what they give for each animal more clearly, we cannot say that we are happy,” she said.
What details would you want clarified about how compensation payments are calculated for each category of animal?
