Agriculture minister visits Agros rose festival, pledges support for farmers

The agriculture ministry will make every possible effort to register the ‘Agros rosewater’ domain name, Agriculture Minister Petros Xenophontos said on Saturday from the 15^th Rose Festival held at the Limassol village.

The sweet rose of Agros has been registered in the relevant European Union register as a Protected Geographical Indication since 2016, the minister said, while the examination of the file of the rose water of Agros as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) product continues at a European level.

“Rest assured that in the case of the effort to register the name ‘Agros Rosewater’, our ministry, within the provisions of the relevant legislation, will make every effort for the successful completion of the process,” the minister said.

Rose farming in Agros is a distinctive activity, Xenophontos said, noting that apart from the supplementary income and jobs it provides, it beautifies and enhances the natural environment of the area.

He added that “at this time of year, the fields acquire the characteristic pink colour and smell of the exquisite fragrance, characteristic of this particular rose.”

Traditional products from Rosadamascena, which increase the added value of the rose, such as rose distillate, rose oil, liqueur, sweet dessert and many others, have been known in Cyprus for many, many years.

“The pioneers in this activity were the residents of Agros and the wider region,” the minister said.

The agriculture ministry, he added, will continue to encourage and support producers and promote the local quality products.