The horrible consequences of the last 30 - 40 days with the continuous weather phenomena are experienced last week, the perishable producers in free Famagusta according to today's report of the newspaper Phileleftheros.
According to the Secretary - Director of SEDIGEP Paralimni, Panagiotis Maouris, unfortunately for a few days now the production of perishables is reduced by up to 60% compared to the corresponding period last year, while the prices of some items rose up to 300% from before from Christmas. He pointed out that the price of fresh potatoes follows the same course as the quantities that reach the market are reduced. "Our potato growers are struggling with their fingernails and forks to uproot some quantities for the local market, which again are not fully sufficient in relation to demand," said Mr. Maouris.
He also added that after the hail and the tornado that were recorded in the area of Paralimni in mid-December, the prolonged rainstorm that started from about December 20 followed and one could say that it is still continuing almost all over Cyprus. As a result, there are almost complete destructions in the open perishable crops but also extensive in the greenhouses as due to the rain they were also affected, not only in free Famagusta, but also in other areas. The drizzle in relation to the very low temperatures significantly reduced the yield of greenhouses, especially in terms of tomato crops and cucumbers, which are considered essential by consumers, said Mr. Maouris.
He also stressed that what is recorded in the warehouse of SEDIGEP Paralimni in the area of Kappari, last week, is unprecedented. That is, to remain empty of products in most of its area and the few products transported by farmers in the area to disappear before 10.00 - 11.00 in the morning. "Farmers are saddened that they do not have products to sell and traders are angry that they do not find what to buy to satisfy their customers in fruit shops, supermarkets and grocery stores, while they also complain about the amount of prices they have received," he said. of SEDIGEP Paralimni.
COMPARISON OF PRICES OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Mr. Maouris quoted the prices of basic agricultural products available to the farmers' cooperative of the Paralimni area, as they had last Thursday and the prices they had, two days before Christmas.
It is worth mentioning that in supermarkets in Larnaca and Famagusta the price of cucumbers in some cases exceeds four euros per kilo and tomatoes 3.50 cents.
Major disasters in greenhouses as well
As a matter of fact, in the next few weeks, according to Mr. Panagiotis Maouris, no substantial improvement of the situation is expected, ie larger quantities of perishables in the market and reduction of prices. As he explained, more than half of the plantations in greenhouses were either completely destroyed or they are not able to give more than 30-40% of the production that they would normally give. He explained that despite the fact that most greenhouses have heating systems, however, temperatures close to zero and cold winds affected the plants and in several cases were "baked" by the snow along with the fruits and were useless.
The case of the Kaoulla greenhouses in the area of Kappari - Agia Triada and the colleagues of the greenhouse owners is also typical. In an area near the sea where mild temperatures usually prevail, despite their efforts to heat their tomato plantations, they failed and the severe cold "baked" in the last nights dozens of tons of tomatoes that were almost ready to be marketed in the coming days and weeks.
In mild temperatures in the coming days in order to survive some of the existing perishable crops but also to be able to plant new ones, hope the growers and greenhouse owners in free Famagusta. Only if this happens will they be able to put larger quantities of their products on the market before Shrove Monday, ie until the first week of March.
Source: Liberal