As calls for greater compensation for drought get nowhere, measures are stepped up
FARMERS will take crippling measures on Monday to protest against inadequate compensation for the drought after a meeting at the House Agriculture Committee yesterday led to a dead end.
Farmers will head to the Presidential Palace on Monday morning, with agricultural machinery and vans, in a final attempt to meet President Christofias. The farmers will gather at 8am Monday at the new GSP Stadium on the highway and at 10am they will make their way to the Presidential Palace, causing chaos to road users both entering Nicosia and those in the centre.
At the same time, farmers in Paphos will be holding a demonstration.
“All the agriculture sectors were called to the Agriculture House Committee meeting expecting to hear something better. Unfortunately, we came here, had our coffee and our water and we are going home,” President of the Cattle Farmers’ Organisation (POA) Savvas Evangelou said after the meeting.
The government has offered and is now waiting EU approval for the payment of €67.5 million compensation to the farmers for damages caused by this summer’s extreme drought. The EU Council of Ministers will meet on Monday and is due to approve the loan.
Cattle farmers and other agricultural sectors have complained that the amount is not enough. They are demanding €135 million.
Twenty seven representatives of agriculture organisations, industries and sectors were present at yesterday morning’s meeting, which was also attended by the Agriculture Minister, to lodge their feelings about the cash. According to EU regulations, the compensation cannot exceed 50 per cent of the estimated loss due to the drought.
Director of the Department of Agriculture, Christodoulos Photiou said that the initial suggestion made to the cabinet, which has already been approved, was made by a committee that included representatives of all farmers and “they had not raised any objection then”.
The farmers are now asking for greater compensation to cover increased expenditure on imported animal feed.
Deputies called on the government to quickly distribute the compensation to the farmers immediately after its anticipated approval by the EU.
Agriculture Minister Michalis Polynikis called on the farmers not to take any action because the outcome would not be positive and would only create disorder.
“I believe that taking action is unnecessary,” he said. “I think we should look at the real issue, which is the approval of this amount by the EU with seriousness and clear-headedness and from then on to proceed with dialogue and to determine on the fair distribution of this amount”.
Asked to comment on a request from DIKO deputies to ask the EU for even greater compensation, the minister said that a clear answer had already been given. “The government, in a responsible and serious manner, decided on this amount and is awaiting the EU decision,” Polynikis said.
