Cyprus allocates farmers an additional 3.5 million cubic metres of water until the end of the year

The Cyprus government will allocate farmers an additional 3.5 million cubic metres of water for irrigation until the end of 2026. The Council of Ministers made the decision after assessing the latest data from the Water Development Department (WDD).

Of this volume, 3 million cubic metres will be supplied through the Southern Conveyor Project, while another 500,000 cubic metres will come from the Paphos Irrigation Project. Within the first allocation, 2 million cubic metres are earmarked for autumn seasonal crops, including potatoes, and 1 million cubic metres for fruit trees.

Farmers had been seeking this for several months. The additional volume does not eliminate the water shortage, but it gives them the opportunity to plan their plantings. This is particularly important for potatoes: their growing cycle requires precise calculations and cannot wait until the situation with water reserves becomes clearer.

The water will also help preserve fruit trees, which found themselves at a disadvantage during the period of severe restrictions. The industry acknowledges that balancing drinking-water and irrigation needs is not easy, but there are complaints about the fluctuations in planning itself: limits were tightened at the height of the crisis, and by the time restrictions were eased, producers had already reduced the areas under cultivation.

A day after the decision on water, the Council of Ministers approved two emergency support schemes for professional farmers and agricultural enterprises worth €1,501,200. The first, with a budget of €800,000, compensates for the increased cost of dyed agricultural diesel. It covers fuel obtained from 1 April to 31 October 2026, at a rate of no more than €0.126 per litre, with payments to individual recipients ranging from €100 to €5,000.

The second scheme, with a budget of €701,200, concerns fertilisers: 15% of the cost shown on invoices excluding VAT will be reimbursed for purchases made from 1 June to 31 October 2026, with the payment also ranging from €100 to €5,000.

Producers stress that the priority now is to distribute the announced volumes on time and according to clear criteria. They are also asking for available limits to be announced in advance: decisions about crops should not be made under the threat of new restrictions.