The agriculture ministry is preparing a €2 million support package for farmers amid a surge in prices as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, minister Costas Kadis said on Tuesday.

He said the money will come from both EU and national funds. “We acknowledge there is a big problem and we must support the agricultural community,” he said, adding that farmers acknowledged the ministry’s desire to help.

High prices are the biggest problem facing animal breeders here and the EU and the support measures will be in line with recent decisions by the European Commission on a range of short-term and medium-term actions to support farmers and consumers in light of rising food prices and input costs, such as energy and fertilisers, the minister said.

“On Monday we prepared proposals for measures at a meeting with all the agricultural organisations which we will discuss with the livestock breeders and I hope that soon we will review them with the president of the Republic and the specific support measures will be announced,” he said.

Asked what type of measures were being proposed, he said the aim was to tap the tools announced by the EU such as support for the pig-meat market and access to Cyprus’ small share of the €500m being made available from the EU’s crisis fund.

“For Cyprus, the amount is less than one million, about €700,000. We can add state aid of about 200 per cent of that so as to reach two million. We will discuss the amount in state aid with the finance minister and the president of the republic and then make the announcements,” he added.

Cyprus has also bought 36,000 tons of barley and maize that will be delivered soon to bolster stocks in animal feed. Kadis said he would later on Tuesday meet importers who would be storing the grains, to discuss how they will be distributed on the market.

And he announced that he will soon be meeting with importers of cereals for human consumption so as to ensure adequate stocks long term.

“Current stocks are adequate for the next three and a half months and therefore we are covered for the immediate future, but the situation is being monitored constantly.”