Nicosia, Cyprus. The agriculture ministry and farmers’ unions on Thursday reached an agreement on compensation to be paid for livestock culled during the ongoing foot and mouth disease outbreak. The government outlined payment ranges for sheep, goats and cattle, including higher rates for animals of high genetic value.
Compensation amounts for culled animals
The government 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”.
For cattle, the government will pay between €150 and €1,500 per regular cow culled, rising to up to €2,500 for exceptional cattle.
Committee meeting and government stance
The figures were announced following a meeting of the ad hoc committee formed by the government to stem the disease’s spread. Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said that “beyond the veterinary dimension, we must not forget that this crisis affects people in the livestock industry first and foremost”.
“It is tragic to lose in an instant the livestock which constitutes the work of a lifetime,” she said, adding that the government is offering “substantial support for livestock farmers”.
Advance payments proposal
Panayiotou said she will put forward a new proposal to cabinet in the coming days for the government to give the already mandated advance payment to all impacted farmers, regardless of the number of animals on their farms, in order to “expedite payments”.
European Union reference prices and co-financing
Panayiotou said the agreement provides for higher payouts than those set by the European Union’s reference prices, stating that “European reference prices are much lower” and that “the Republic of Cyprus consciously chooses to support livestock farmers with compensation up to 200 per cent higher than European levels”.
The European Commission’s maximum values on which it will agree to co-finance compensation for culled animals are €1,000 per cow and €140 per sheep.
In such cases, the commission pays 30 per cent of the compensation for the animal, though it remains unclear whether it will continue to do so if a member state pays more than those maximum figures.
An agriculture ministry spokesperson told the Cyprus Mail that the government’s position is that the commission will pay up to €300 per cow and up to €42 per sheep, reflecting 30 per cent of its ceilings. The Cyprus Mail said it has contacted the European Commission for clarification.
What do you think about the government’s proposed compensation levels for farmers affected by the livestock culls?
