Cyprus Agriculture Ministry to announce water allocation for farmers in the coming days

Cyprus Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Christos Senekis visited the farmers’ market in Strovolos on Friday and said that final decisions on the allocation of irrigation water among farmers would be announced in the coming days. Producers complained to the minister about a shortage of water for irrigation and delays in subsidies.

“The water situation was better this year. We will try to respond to producers’ needs in the near future, while ensuring sufficient water supplies for the years ahead as well,” Senekis said.

Maria from the village of Xyliatos told the minister that last year her plot with fruit trees was left without water and produced no harvest. “With the little water I was given, I was only able to save the avocados. I cried so much last year, you can’t imagine,” she said. She had to pay €1,000 for the water.

Another farmer recalled that a year ago, farmers had been promised a subsidy for the Vyzakia area because of the drought: the reservoir had been empty at the time. Senekis replied that subsidy plans were being prepared and submitted applications were being reviewed, while a strategic plan to support producers had previously been submitted to the Council of Ministers.

Responding to a question about the cancellation of some desalination projects, the minister described the development of a water strategy as a dynamic process that changes along with needs. According to him, the adopted plan will cover 100% of the country’s water needs, while farmers will remain a priority in the allocation of reservoir reserves.

Strovolos Mayor Stavros Stavrinidis said that the minister’s visit demonstrated practical support for the institution of farmers’ markets and called on local authorities to modernise such venues. The market in Strovolos moved behind GSP Stadium in 2019. Christos Papapetrou, president of the PEK agricultural organisation, noted that the venue had been reorganised under the new legislation. The ministry will also consider providing producers with terminals for card payments.