Livestock farmers affected by the culling of their animals as part of measures to contain the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) demanded on Thursday to see the president to convey their grievances.

The decision for a face-to-face with the president came after a meeting of groups representing livestock farmers and cheesemakers.

Later, Nikos Papakyriakou, head of the Cattle Breeders Association, said they’ll address a letter to President Nikos Christodoulides demanding an urgent meeting.

The farmers object to the mass culling of their herds, per EU legislation.

They argue that an exception should be made for Cyprus, given local particularities.

“To implement European regulations to the letter, this doesn’t take into account the particular circumstances in Cyprus,” Papakyriakou told media.

“It doesn’t conform to the layout of the farming units in Cyprus, but also the political situation, where we have the occupied territories which import animal feed from Turkey.”

Papakyriakou complained of double standards. He noted that after EU inspections for FMD in the north of the island, the European Commission did not order the blanket slaughter of animals in affected units, as applies for the south.

“Instead, they decided to provide the north with €12 million in funding for the elimination of animal diseases”.

The problem must be dealt with in the same way across the whole island, he stressed.

“We call on the president to get in touch with the competent EU authorities, to come up with an arrangement where animals would be culled yes, but in moderation, so that farming units with a positive FMD case are not forced to slaughter the entire herd.

“Rather, for the animals testing positive, they should be vaccinated, the unit kept under monitoring, and if the virus persists, only then proceed to slaughter the animals.”

Asked whether the farmers might resort to other action if their demands are not met, Papakyriakou demurred, saying only that they look forward to meeting the president.

To date, some 4,000 animals have been culled in the south.

The first cases of FMD in the government-controlled areas were confirmed on February 20 this year. The outbreak involved three initial units – a cattle farm in Livadia and two sheep/goat units in Oroklini – later expanding to 11 farms.