The farmers of mountainous Paphos are organizing a protest and support event for the European farmers at 10.00 on Saturday morning on the Amargetis-Statos Agios Photios road, while a pan-Cypriot protest event is planned next week. With the support of the agricultural organizations of the Pafos district, the protestors will gather at the height of Koilinia-Galataria.
In his statements to KYPE, the Provincial Secretary of PEK, Charalambos Pittokopitis, said that the farmers will protest, among other things, about the cost of production, the very low prices of agricultural products and the delays regarding the compensations they are entitled to due to the damages they have suffered the past years. He added that the producers of the fruit trees in mountainous Paphos were completely affected by the hail last year in April-May, adding that unfortunately they have been informed by the authorities that they will receive the compensation they are entitled to before Easter, i.e. after a year. Unfortunately, he noted, producers cannot support their families without income for a year.
The provincial secretary of Panagrotikou, Panikkos Kaponas, told KYPE that the situation for farmers in Cyprus is equally difficult, due to the very high production costs, but also the reduced prices that farmers receive from traders for their products. He called on the State to stand by farmers and livestock and make decisions so that "the few remaining farmers can continue to produce for the good of the local economy" as he said. Mr. Kaponas said that Panagrotikos will be present since the hectare subsidies are reduced and the cost with the price of oil increased.
Besides, the District Secretary of EKA, Herodotos Antoniadis, in his statements to KYPE, said that this is a spontaneous protest event by farmers, with the support of agricultural organizations. He estimated that it is difficult for someone to be a farmer and breeder today, since with the new guidelines for Natura and the increase in production costs "one by one they are leaving the profession".
"Unfortunately young farmers are not given incentives to stay in the profession" he said while expressing the opinion that Natura "is going to further reduce the agricultural land under cultivation".
According to representatives of the farmers, the protestors will go to the assembly point with their agricultural machinery and the event will be peaceful, while they said that they do not intend to cut off the traffic on the road. However, they said that a dynamic nationwide event is planned next week.
Source: KYPE