£4 million for drought-struck potato farmers

POTATO farmers are to receive £4 million in subsidies in order to counteract the negative effect on their crops of 1998’s bad weather.

Agriculture Minister Costas Themistocleous and Finance Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou announced the package yesterday after it was authorised by the Council of Ministers.

The financial support is being given in the framework of a government policy to bail out farmers who face problems caused by weather and other unpredictable factors.

Last year was particularly bad for farmers as the severe drought damaged many crops.