Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus supermarkets’ association chairman Andreas Hadjiadamou said there is “no need to panic” about meat supplies despite foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Cyprus and Greece. He said supermarkets are not facing any particular shortage at present.
Supermarkets report stable supply
Hadjiadamou said it is too early to say whether the disease outbreak would lead to supply problems, adding that Cyprus has faced worse situations in the past without shortages being detected.
He said supermarkets continue to procure meat from enough unaffected units in both Cyprus and Greece, and urged people to remain calm and cautious when discussing the situation to avoid creating the impression of a shortage.
Easter timing linked to lower consumption
Hadjiadamou said that because Easter and the Lenten period fell earlier than usual this year, meat consumption in recent weeks has been lower than it otherwise would have been, helping to secure availability for consumers.
Outbreaks in Cyprus and Greece
Concerns about shortages emerged after an outbreak in the Larnaca district in recent weeks, which later spread to the Nicosia district, and after a separate outbreak was detected in Greece on the Aegean island of Lesvos.
Have you changed your meat purchasing plans because of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks?