Nicosia, Cyprus. MPs described the livestock sector as facing “its gravest threat in living memory” during a heated House agriculture committee session on Tuesday over the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. Officials said 11 livestock units have been affected and an estimated 13,000 animals will need to be culled.
Committee debate and calls for action
Committee chair Yiannakis Gavriel said the priority was to halt transmission of the virus and ensure immediate compensation for affected farmers, but warned that the discussion had deepened rather than eased concerns. He said the situation was dynamic and constantly evolving, adding that concerns had intensified.
Absences criticised
Tensions were fuelled by the absence of Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou, who returned from abroad before the meeting but went instead to the crisis management centre. MPs also criticised police-chief Themistos Arnaoutis, who likewise failed to attend, arguing that enforcement failures were central to the spread of the disease.
Outbreak details and support measures
Director-general of the ministry Andreas Gregoriou told the committee that 11 livestock units have so far been affected, one with cattle and ten with sheep and goats, involving an estimated 13,000 animals that will now need to be culled. He said veterinary services had acted to limit the outbreak and that the state would provide financial and psychological support, adding that compensation would cover livestock losses and related damage.
Farmers describe impact
Livestock breeder Giorgos Demetriou told MPs that his family’s third-generation operation had been effectively destroyed within a day, saying they no longer had milk to survive and that external factors had destroyed everything.
What steps do you think should be prioritised to halt the spread of foot-and-mouth disease and support affected farmers?
