AFTER being blocked by the police in their descent upon the Presidential Palace in tractors and then backing down from their plans to restage their demonstration in pickup trucks, the potato farmers decided on Tuesday night to resume a dialogue with the government by sending a letter today to the government presenting their requests for economic support.
Last week, the potato farmers set off in tractors for the Presidential Palace but were blocked early on by police, prompting the farmers to block the Rizoelias roundabout on the outskirts of Larnaca, an act that led to the arrest of 54 potato farmers. They intended to again head to the Presidential last Friday but decided against it late Thursday night after mediation by DISY head Nicos Anastassiades.
Despite the fact that the government has repeatedly said that it will not give economic aid to the potato farmers for a bad showing in the export market, the potato farmers are hoping that their decision to end dynamic measures such as demonstrations and marches will be recognised and reciprocated by the government.
President of the Pancyprian Potato Growers’ Association Andreas Karios told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that the potato farmers have “offered their suggestions for the National Plan to ensure a future in potato production and to ensure that the troubles encountered this year are not repeated.”
The potato farmers are, as before, requesting economic aid for bad exports over the past two years as well as compensation for farmers who wish to leave the profession. They are also requesting additional insurance coverage from the Agriculture Ministry that is not covered under the Association of Farmers Insurance and a reduction in their production costs for export potatoes.
Karios said that the winter potato season is now over and the spring season will begin in the middle of February, noting that their production costs are still increasing.
“The increased costs for farmers is something no one recognises,” Karios said. “Here we are fighting with the hard conditions and high costs, with the government, with the people who don’t know what farming is like, with agricultural organisations that don’t represent farmers, and all the while public opinion is against us.”
