Another 2,000 livestock animals to be culled over foot-and-mouth disease

Nicosia, Cyprus. A further 2,000 animals at livestock units will be culled because of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), Andreas Gregoriou, director general of the ministry of agriculture and rural development, said on Monday. He stressed that the decision concerned cases dating back several months, rather than a resurgence of the disease.

Decision concerns earlier cases

Gregoriou spoke following talks at the agriculture ministry with affected farmers and veterinary services director Christodoulous Pipis.

He explained that the competent authority had ultimately decided to cull the animals after investigating the characteristics of the earlier cases with the European Commission. The veterinary services could confirm that FMD had not resurged, he added.

Compensation and technical assessments

According to Gregoriou, outstanding compensation payments to four farmers affected by FMD would resume after the culling was finished. Compensation for culled animals would likewise proceed once the process had been completed.

He also said livestock farmers would receive compensation for milk destroyed by September 23.

A technical committee comprising three members would work alongside farmers before the cull to document animal numbers and characteristics, helping facilitate compensation, Gregoriou said.

He described the meeting as especially useful and productive, saying it had addressed many farmers’ concerns and questions. In some cases, the veterinary services would contact livestock farmers individually to address specific technical matters, he added.

Further meetings scheduled

Gregoriou announced that the assistant attorney general’s office would host another meeting on the issue on October 14.

A separate meeting was scheduled for October 19 with all agricultural organisations and representatives of livestock farmers. He said participants would be briefed on plans to compensate income losses, alongside incentives to rebuild livestock populations.