CYPRUS is doing its best to convince the European Union to reach a decision on scrapie that will have the least possible consequences on the farming sector, Agriculture Minister Michalis Polynikis said yesterday.
In a broad meeting with agricultural organisations, cheese producers and sheep and goat farmers, the Minister informed those implicated on the government’s actions to deal with scrapie.
Polynikis said efforts were being made to convince the European Commission to reach a decision that would have the least consequences on the Cyprus farming sector.
He explained that Cyprus was facing the most serious problems with scrapie in the entire EU, adding that there between 20,000 and 25,000 vulnerable sheep on the island, and around 80,000 infected goats.
“The problem was created by the stance of the French Food Safety Authority to deal with sensitive sheep and goats in the same way as mad cow disease is dealt with, asking for a complete ban on meat and milk,” said the minister, adding that this contradicted European views that milk and sub-products from sensitive animals posed no risk to public health.
“From the very first moment, there were intense and persistent interventions to the European Commission, dispatching a delegation of the Veterinary Services, as well as sending a letter to the Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel and Health Commissioner Androula Vassiliou,” Polynikis pointed out.
Referring to the government’s plans, Polynikis said the aim was to delay a final decision on the matter from Europe until the end of the year (the EU is expected to reach a conclusion at the end of this month) so that the necessary interventions can be made to alter France’s view on the issue.
“Independent of the measures that will be taken by the European Commission on the whole problem, Cyprus will implement its Plan for the replacement of sensitive animals in a reasonable time frame – three to four years – with stronger animals, so that this procedure can have the least possible consequences on sheep and goat farmers, the consumers and the economy in general,” said the minister.
For the plan to work, he added, the authorities would need close collaboration with the farmers.
“Our aim with this plan is to combat scrapie while at the same time securing compensation for sheep and goat farmers from the European Union, which will cover the value of the animals and lost income,” said Polynikis, adding that the farmers’ positions on compensation would be taken into serious consideration.
