Ministry of Agriculture completes early culling of infected livestock

The Ministry of Agriculture completed all planned livestock culling operations within two days. Veterinary service staff, with support from the police and the National Guard, destroyed about 6,650 animals in the districts of Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca, completing the plan ahead of schedule.

This episode became part of a prolonged crisis that began with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in February 2026. The first cases were detected in the Larnaca district, after which the virus reached the villages of Dali and Geri in the Nicosia district. Due to the authorities’ insufficiently prompt response, restrictions on the export and movement of animals across the island were introduced at least until May. By mid-March, around 15,000 head of livestock had been destroyed in total, and in May it was reported that another 6,000 animals had been culled. Milk production risked falling by half, and two rare breeds of cattle and sheep were under threat.

President Nicos Christodoulides announced a package of nine support measures for affected farms, including compensation, income support for 12 months and exemption from state land rent for 2026. For long-term recovery, a Special Scientific Committee headed by Dr. Stavros Malas was established. At the same time, the authorities clarified that halloumi and other products undergoing heat treatment are exempt from export restrictions and are considered safe.