A meeting with the Minister of Agriculture Petros Xenophontos will be held at 9 am by the agricultural organizations as well as a delegation of the branches of wheat producers and potato producers on the subject of their financial support from the Government.
Wheat producers and potato producers held a protest march from the GSP to the Presidential Palace yesterday, protesting the amount of government funding they receive in relation to the increased cost of production, which they claim will force them out of the industry.
The Government had proposed state aid of 4,2 million euros with producers asking for 7 million euros to be able to become viable.
Moreover, in a statement issued on Tuesday, the Ministry of Agriculture reaffirms that the primary sector is a priority of the Government, especially at a time when Cypriot agriculture is called upon to face many challenges in a highly competitive environment.
In its announcement, the Ministry of Agriculture indicates that it was within this context that last week the meeting of the President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulidis with the agricultural organizations took place, during which it was decided to grant financial support of €4,3 million, of which €2,65 .6 million to wheat producers which corresponds to €1,654 per decari and to potato producers €55 million which corresponds to €XNUMX per decari.
The Ministry emphasizes that these decisions demonstrate the good intention of the Government to satisfy the demands of the farmers based on the financial capabilities of the state.
The Ministry of Agriculture also says it recognizes that the impact of the pandemic on the food supply chain and the sharp rise in energy and agricultural input prices due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine are putting pressure on the agricultural sector by increasing production costs. It also states that it monitors developments and new data regarding production costs for all branches of the primary sector and is in constant dialogue with agricultural organizations.
In addition, potato producers of the Paphos district, according to the Assistant Police Director of Paphos Operations Michalis Nikolaou, around 10:00 on Wednesday morning they will gather with tractors on the old Limassol-Paphos road despite the airport and specifically beyond the community of Timis awaiting the outcome of the meeting .
Mr. Nikolaou told KYPE that depending on the decision that will be made and the instructions that they will receive from their leaders in Nicosia, they will carry out their own protest actions.
Following this, continued Mr. Nikolaou, the Police takes its own measures to prevent public inconvenience or any other actions that may be illegal.