Cyprus Farmers Outraged by New Foot-and-Mouth Disease Measures

Livestock farmers in the Timi and Anarita areas of Paphos have voiced their dissatisfaction with new restrictions introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

The issue concerns temporary movement restrictions between settlements: roads are only open from 05:00 to 07:00, which farmers say is seriously hindering their work.

Farm owners point out that these restrictions prevent them from freely accessing their farms, especially during the lambing and calving season when animals require constant supervision. Some claim they risk not being able to reach their farms until noon or even later, which could lead to significant financial losses.

Farmers also argue that the measures fail to account for the specifics of their profession and demand greater flexibility. In their view, restrictions should apply to outsiders rather than the farm owners themselves.

The Ministry of Agriculture, meanwhile, maintains that strict measures are essential to prevent the further spread of the highly contagious disease.