The mountains may have been dressed in white after the snowfall of the last days, but Kokkinochoria for another night suffered as the bitter cold is one of the biggest enemies of crops.
Anxiety, Suffering and of course costs for the farmers who for another night literally spent the night watering and sprinkling their potato crops or other vegetable crops, in order to avoid the creation of frost.
The Famagusta.News contacted some of the local potato growers and recorded the difficulties and concerns they experience due to the low temperatures.
Takis Matsioukkos: "Danger of destroying potatoes"
According to one of the most active until recently in the field of potato cultivation in Avgorou, Taki Matsiukko, who has recently abandoned the crops, the situation is very difficult due to weather conditions. He expressed his concern about the duration of this phenomenon, also expressing their support to other farmers, many of whom, as he says, in recent days, asked him for information and advice for better management of the situation.
Mr. Matsiukkos, among other things, referred to the problems that arise when such low temperature phenomena occur. In the effort, as he mentions, to protect the potato from frost, accordingly you spend time, money and energy. Excess water, as he mentioned, carries the risk of damaging the potato completely, due to the concentration of a large amount of water in the rhizome.
Vassilis Vassileiou: "Cost and inconvenience"
On the other hand, Vassilis Vassileiou A farmer in Sotira described in detail how farmers deal with these icy days in terms of protecting crops from the cold. As he said, when the temperature drops below 1 ° C, then things get difficult. It is inevitable, he said, the continuous watering of the potatoes throughout the night, from 11 at night until 6:30 in the morning, in order to avoid the creation of frost in the foliage, while therefore, as he said, the Costs in water, electricity and oil are rising sharply. "Every night we are on foot to watch the weather reports with anxiety. What else to do? Cost and inconvenience, "he said.
Andreas Karyos: "To be understood by consumers"
The President of the Pancyprian Potato Producers Organization, Andreas Karyos, he told Famagusta.News that the cold negatively affects the crop, as in most cases crops are damaged resulting in reduced production and cost transmission to the consumer.
As he mentioned, like the other farmers, he himself stays awake throughout the night in his crops in Avgorou, sprinkling water on the potato foliage, applying the method of frost protection. He did not even hide his concern about the result they will see with the first light of the sun, with most of them not being able to prevent the destruction of the crops.
The phenomenon, as he said, of the cold, will prevail, as he said, on January 24 and 25, 2022 with the farmers on their feet.
In closing, Mr. Karyos appealed to consumers to understand the difficulties faced by farmers and not to once again blame farmers for price increases on potatoes and perishables. "With such frosts," he said, "production is reduced, the ripening of some products is slow, and thus the price increases." The increase in price, as he said, in his statements to Famagusta.News, does not generate profit for the producer. It's the cost of protecting its products from the weather. "The consumer must thank the farmers who are struggling to bring local products to market."
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