FARMING organisations yesterday warned the Agriculture Ministry that serious social problems could arise from threatened water cuts for the sector.
During a meeting with the representatives of the farming organisations on Monday, Agriculture Minister Photis Photiou outlined the new measures which were to be introduced to reduce water given for irrigation. This could have immediate consequences for farmers who depend on permanent plantations as well as the current seasonal crops for their income.
The farming organisations have asked for new ways to be found in order to combat the loss of revenue of the farmers, which could be disastrous to them and their families.
Nicosia Secretary of Farmers Union PEK, Christos Papapetrou, told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that social problems were inevitable given the current situation. “A main component for a successful production is water. A farmer who cannot properly water his crops will have a reduced income. Therefore, if a family man cannot support his family, this will undoubtedly result in problems for the society,” he said.
Papapetrou went on to say that these people should not be ignored by the government. “We have called on the state to see the social aspect of the matter. These people should not be made to pay, the government should not hang them out to dry,” he said.
The government is reportedly planning to reduce the water allowed for irrigation for permanent plantations such as citrus fruits by 50 per cent, something that Papapetrou says would “simply keep the plants from dying but would not be prove any fruit.” However, the government will not reduce the quantity of water given to seasonal plantations, such as potatoes, until the current crop is over.
These water cuts are the outcome of a sparse year of rainfall that has resulted in uncharacteristically low water levels in the island’s dams. The total water in the dams amounts to around 60 million cubic litres, less than half the amount at the same time last year.
The last three years have seen a successive decline in rainfall, with the dams taking in 24 million cubic litres last year, 50 million the year before last, and 150 million in 2003 which was a great year for rainfall.
During the meeting, Agriculture Minister Photis Photiou introduced the Programme for Agricultural Development for the next five years, which focuses on the further development of the agricultural sector as well as the improvement in the quality of life of Cypriot farmers.
In a move to examine the current reforms proposed by the European Commission regarding the Common Agricultural Policy, Photiou invited the Agriculture Ministers of other Mediterranean countries of the European Union to a meeting planned for Sunday January 21 in Nicosia. The countries which will attend the meeting are Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Cyprus, Portugal and Slovenia.
The aim of the meeting is to determine common problems between the countries, to record the opinions of each state on the proposed reforms by the EU on Mediterranean products and to formulate common attitudes for the future agricultural policy of the Union.
The scheduled meeting will also include discussions on the consequences of the drought on farming production, with a goal to prepare a common strategy for Mediterranean countries for further discussions at the European Commission.
