Frustrated farmers dumped their produce on the road outside the facilities of Sediyep Paralimni on Friday in protest at inadequate government support amid plummeting demand because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In statements to the Cyprus News Agency, Sediyep Paralimni president Yiorgos Moulazimi Kakouris described farmers’ plight as ‘tragic’, with produce left unsold as businesses close because of the pandemic.
“People have a problem and cannot cope. One third of producers must stop planting because things are very difficult,” he said.
The government has paid some money to workers and given some funds to producers, but not enough for them to survive.
While acknowledging that the state too had financial problems, he said it was essential for something to be done.
Yiannakis Gabriel, an Akel MP for the Famagusta district and general secretary of the farmers union Eka, said both the party and the farmers union have asked that the free Famagusta area be declared a stricken area because of the coronavirus. Their calls have not been heeded and today’s protest was proof as farmers have large stocks of produce which have not been sold.
He said the agriculture and finance ministries should draw up a separate support scheme for producers so that they can cultivate their fields. “They have supported hotels and rightly so, but unfortunately they have forgotten the farmer,” he said.
The free Famagusta area has two main occupations, tourism and farming, but regrettably the latter was the poor relative.
According to the MP, a crate of cucumbers costs 40 to 45 cents a kilo to produce, but farmers are only paid two to three cents. “They cannot over these costs of their own and need the immediate support of the state.”
Yiorgos Takkas, press officer of Sedigep Paralimni and a producer said that farmers had today dumped cucumbers as they were unsold because of over production.
“Cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes cost 40 to 45 cents a kilo and the producer will be paid five to ten cents. How is a farmer to live, how will a farmer cover costs?” he queried.
He acknowledged that the agriculture minister wanted to help but said those around him won’t let him.
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