SEDIGEP Paralimni: € 1,7 million loss of revenue due to coronavirus

"If the movement of agricultural products from the occupied territories continued, things would be much worse"

Coronavirus, Farmers, Agricultural Products, Agriculture, SEDIGEP Paralimni

In the first ten months of 2020, the more than 80 farmers-members of SEDIGEP Paralimni saw their organization record a decrease in income of more than 35%, ie more than 1 million euros compared to the corresponding period of 7, according to reports in today's report the author Pampos Vassilas of the newspaper Phileleftheros. Not counting this damage all the hectares of perishables that were left to be destroyed before reaching the stage of ripening and harvesting.

As the peasant owners judged that if they tried to trade them, they would suffer even more damage. According to the director of SEDIGEP Paralimni, Panagiotis Maouris, these days the farmers in the area of ​​Paralimni - Kokkinochoria are very worried, watching the negative epidemiological picture recorded by Cyprus regarding the coronavirus pandemic. As he added, any measure taken, restricting trafficking, affects catering businesses, while also affecting the rural world. "Weddings and other banquets in this category are still held with severe restrictions on attendance. Tourism does not exist. Restaurants that used to consume large quantities of agricultural products now do not have this option. "As the restrictive measures increase, in addition to most companies, farmers also become victims to a greater extent", continued Mr. Maouris.

Farmers in Kokkinochoria, he added, appeal to every citizen to take all the necessary restrictive protection measures around the spread of the pandemic. Given that in addition to the unemployed in hotels and other businesses, the pandemic is pushing more and more rural families to the brink of bankruptcy and impoverishment. Farmers who borrowed from SEDIGEP Paralimni or even from their relatives, because they failed to have incomes in the spring and summer, ran out of budget so they can not be active now in the winter. "Our individual irresponsibility around the measures for the coronavirus for some equates to despair, due to the poverty caused by this behavior of ours. We all need to understand that. The farmers, the helots of the land, those who most of them may have just finished primary school, address through their wisdom, but also through their despair, an appeal to society ", also stressed the director of SEDIGEP Paralimni.

He added that farmers, especially those with young children, especially hope to receive the subsidies and compensation they are entitled to before the Christmas holidays. Because only through them will they be able to offer something extra to their family during the festive season.

Worse things happen

The director of SEDIGEP, Panagiotis Maouris, also stated that as the problem caused by the negative effects on the economy due to the coronavirus deepens, "the worst that is happening at the moment in our society is increasing around us. They are the people, Cypriots and foreigners, who do not make ends meet with the bonuses and when night falls they look to find perishables and other items that are left in the bags of employees and farmers. "Because they know very well that it is time for solidarity and as little food as possible should end up in the trash."

In his statements, the director of SEDIGEP also did not fail to emphasize that "if the measures were not applied to the roadblocks due to coronavirus, the prices of agricultural products produced by Greek Cypriot farmers would be even higher. "Stopping the movement of products is currently acting as a positive factor for the rural world," he added.

Source: Phileleftheros / Pampos Vassilas