MPs have expressed concerns about the consequences of the European directive on the management of agricultural plastic waste, noting that it will lead to an increase in costs for farmers, which they expect will also be passed on to consumers.
DISY MP Prodromos Alabritis, in his statements, described the bill as "important", noting that it is in the right direction, since it contributes to environmental protection, waste reduction, prevents soil and rural contamination and will help prevent plastics from being burned and pollutants from ending up in the atmosphere.
He noted that there are two important questions that were raised with the Commission. The first concerns the management of plastic waste and the second is that the cost should not be borne by farmers and should not be passed on to the consumer.
AKEL MP Nikos Kettiros, in his statements after the Committee, said that the Regulations have immediate effect without any planning. Farmers are “obliged to collect all the plastic products they use and take them to collection points,” he said, noting that this will bring additional costs to farmers which will lead to additional costs to consumers. “Another green tax that will burden both farmers and consumers,” he said.
He noted that today in the local market, zucchini is €6,62 per kilo and strawberries are €11,86 per kilo. “We will import strawberries and zucchini from Brazil, Israel and third countries and agriculture in Cyprus will die,” he added. As he said, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment must convey the message to Brussels that “when they decide to impose green taxes, they must support farmers.”
DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvidis said, in turn, that "Brussels only sends Regulations without supporting the member states", noting that they are asking Cyprus to manage waste plastic products for agricultural use "without Brussels supporting Cyprus".
"If we want to implement the Regulations, the state must be ready," he said, as, as he conveyed from what was said within the Committee, there are areas that are not licensed to collect these plastic agricultural products, such as Paphos. "If we continue to burden farmers with additional costs, yes, we will increase the cost of production more and people will not be able to buy basic products because prices will rise even more," he said.
He noted that there is a lot of work to be done until we are ready to properly manage agricultural plastic products.
