The management of water resources requires seriousness, responsibility, and universal cooperation, the agriculture ministry’s director general Andreas Gregoriou said in a statement to CNA on Sunday regarding the recent protest by banana growers in Paphos over irrigation water supply.

Gregoriou said he fully understands the concerns of farmers, especially banana producers, who are facing the effects of a particularly difficult hydrological year. He added that the situation is indeed very demanding.

He said that Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou and himself are scheduled to meet with the producers in the coming days to address the issue.

The quantities allocated for irrigation this year were determined by the Water Management Advisory Committee (WMAC) on October 31, 2024 — before the fire at the desalination plant in Paphos and before the damage to the Mavrokolympos dam, Gregoriou said.

He added that the decision includes supplying permanent crops, including banana plantations, with 50% of their water needs to ensure their survival. This early announcement meets a long-standing demand from farmers’ organisations for proper planning.

Despite unforeseen events and a third consecutive poor hydrological year, the irrigation water supply plan remains unchanged from the October 2024 decision, he said.

The loss of water from the Mavrokolympos dam has not altered the plan, as the reclaimed water in the dam was considered a safety reserve, not for immediate use, Gregoriou said.

He added that repairs on the dam are progressing on schedule, aiming for readiness with the new hydrological year starting in October. Any restoration before October would not be beneficial due to the dry summer period with no inflows to the dams.

Areas such as Peyia and Kissonega are irrigated through the Paphos Major Irrigation Project network, which relies on the Asprokremmos dam and the Ezousa aquifer replenished by reclaimed water, he said.

Based on the current plan, the Water Development Department provides daily the required amount to cover 50% of the irrigation needs of permanent crops, including banana plantations, he said.

Gregoriou added that to technically enable irrigation for all crops, periodic water supply must be provided to all areas of the network following a schedule.

He said that the cooperation of irrigators is essential for the smooth operation of the programme to ensure reduced quantities reach all crops in each area.

He added that several meetings have been held with banana growers to establish the initial irrigation schedule, which is continuously improved to solve any emerging issues.

Referring to a meeting on June 13, 2025, chaired by himself and attended by banana growers’ representatives and officials, Gregoriou said the talks were conducted in a positive atmosphere and discussed additional improvements to resolve the problem definitively.

He said the Water Development Department is working tirelessly to meet banana growers’ irrigation needs but underlined the importance of understanding and ongoing cooperation by the growers themselves to ensure adequate water supply.

On June 16, a Water Development Department delegation visited the area for an on-site inspection and discussion of issues with banana growers, he added.

Gregoriou said water quantities allocated to each crop will correspond to already granted approvals.

He said there is no room for overconsumption and that any behaviour endangering water availability for other crops will not be tolerated.