The distribution of water and delays in the payment of subsidies were among complaints raised by farmers on Friday as Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis visited the Strovolos farmers market.

“We’ve had a better year this year in terms of water resources. We will endeavour to meet the needs of our producers in the immediate future, while ensuring water sufficiency for the coming years,” Senekis said.

Responding to another question regarding the cancellation of certain desalination projects, Senekis said that formulating a strategy to bolster the country’s water reserves was a dynamic process shaped according to needs.

“We believe we have arrived at a strategic plan that will meet 100 per cent of the country’s water supply needs, so that, with the reserves in the reservoirs, farmers are given top priority,” he said.

Speaking to the minister, farmers raised concerns about possible water shortages, calling for an increase of the water supply to producers.

Farmers outlined the problems they currently face to the agriculture minister

“I had a field of golden apples and they didn’t give me any water. They didn’t bear any fruit. With the little water they gave me, I just managed to save the avocados. I cried so much last year, you can’t imagine,” said Maria, a farmer from Xyliatos, who said she had paid €1,000 for water in the previous year.

Another farmer asked the minister about the current status of subsidies. “We were told last year that we would be given a subsidy for the Vyzakia area, due to the drought, because the reservoir was empty,” the farmer said.

Senekis replied that the plan for subsidies was being prepared and relevant requests were being examined while a strategic support plan had been submitted to the Council of Ministers last year.

During his visit, the minister emphasised the importance of farmers markets, saying they helped narrow the gap between the price received by producers and the price paid by consumers.

Meanwhile Strovolos mayor Stavros Stavrinides welcomed the minister, saying the latter had promptly responded to the invitation to visit the farmers market.

“This demonstrates practical support for the institution of farmers’ markets,” he said.

Stavrinides said that local authorities must aim to further upgrade and modernise farmers markets, stressing they benefitted both consumers and producers.

The Strovolos farmers’ market relocated to the area behind the GSP Stadium in 2019 in a larger area than the previous site.

“We listen to the requests of both producers and visitors every day. We stand by them and strive to improve both the infrastructure and the quality as much as we can. Producers support agriculture and we support the producers,” he said.

President of Cyprus’ agricultural organisations Pek, Christos Papapetrou, described the Strovolos farmers marked as “one of the open-air markets across Cyprus that has evolved and been reorganised in line with new legislation”.

“Our common aim is to ensure that consumers have access to high-quality products directly from producers, thereby safeguarding producers’ incomes whilst also ensuring lower prices for consumers, particularly now when they need it most,” he said.