Agricultural organisations rejected the ongoing farmers’ protests over the foot-and-mouth outbreak on Thursday, as police warned that gatherings could increase transmission risks and involve individuals unrelated to the livestock sector.

The positions were set out during a session of the House agriculture committee, where representatives of farming bodies called for restraint and continued dialogue.

Farming union EKA’s president Panikos Hampas said the sector was acting with “responsibility through dialogue, not the street”, describing Thursday’s gathering at the Rizoelia junction as “irresponsible”, alleging that some were exploiting the situation for political purposes.

Panagrotikos president Tasos Yiapanis called for decisions based on evidence, referring to the need for “documentation and not blind reactions”, while Euroagrotikos’ chairman Lambros Achilleos said “200 livestock farmers cannot be allowed to pollute the entirety of Cyprus.”

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Nea Agrotiki’s spokesman, Christakis Papayiannis, raised concerns over illegal movement of goods and animals across the Green Line, which organisations said undermines containment efforts.

Police informed the committee that individuals with no connection to livestock farming were encouraging participation in protests.

Police representative Ioannis Kapnoullas described them as “self-appointed protectors” and warned that such actions could lead to public disorder and increase the risk of spreading the disease through gatherings in affected areas.

Updated figures presented during the session outlined the scale of the outbreak.

The agriculture ministry’s permanent secratery, Andreas Grigoriou, said that as of today, 104 livestock units in Nicosia and Larnaca had been identified with foot-and-mouth disease, including 13 cattle units, 88 sheep and goat units and three pig units.

He said 37,066 sheep and goats had been culled, representing 8.1 per cent of the total population, along with 2,247 cattle, while 21,644 pigs were in the process of being culled, corresponding to about seven per cent of the total.

Grigoriou said compensation payments were under way, with advances already paid to affected farmers and further payments expected.

“Each livestock farmer will be informed of the amount of compensation they will receive,” he assured, adding that payments could be completed within 90 days from the detection of each case.

Akel MP Yiannakis Gavriel said “foot-and-mouth disease is laying waste to our farmers” and called for immediate measures and clarification on compensation.

Disy MP Charalambos Pazaros referred to the “illegal transport of animals and feed” from the north, while Diko MP Christos Orphanides said that without implementation of protocols in the north “the virus will never disappear from Cyprus”.

Officials said measures in place follow European disease control requirements, including culling, sampling and vaccination of healthy animals in affected areas, with authorities maintaining that compliance remains essential to contain the outbreak.