A historical pending issue that has plagued the agricultural world since 2007 is coming to an end, marking a great success for the government and the Ministry of Agriculture. The House of Representatives passed the "Cyprus Potato Marketing (Amendment) Law of 2026", implementing a central commitment of Nikos Christodoulides' governance program to modernize and shield potato cultivation.
The new Law officially enters into force on October 1, 2026, opening a new chapter of extroversion and efficiency for the gold sector of the Cypriot land.
This development is not accidental, but the result of the close cooperation of the Minister of Agriculture with agricultural organizations. With the common goal of ensuring the continuation of the Council in a better governance environment, stakeholders have reached a pragmatic and sustainable solution that ends the multi-year uncertainty of annual extensions.
The evolution of the Cyprus Potato Marketing Council (SEP) is based on a hybrid model that combines the institutional guarantee of Public Law with the flexibility of the Private Sector. The Council remains as a legal entity under public law and, at the same time, establishes a limited liability company, with the same sole shareholder, which undertakes the execution of the required works.
The board of directors of the company, which is appointed by the Minister, will consist of 8 members of the SEKP: The president, the head of each major agricultural organization (PEK, EKA, Panagrotikos, Nea Agrotiki Kinisi), the general director of the General Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment or his representative, the general director of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry or his representative and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies and Social Enterprises.
Furthermore, a strict financial management framework is introduced with the obligation to submit an annual budget and financial statements based on international standards to the Ministers of Agriculture and Finance.
In the main changes with the new law, the SEKP continues with the existing staff, without the possibility of new permanent appointments, while it is mandatory to appoint a legal audit office to audit the accounts.
At the same time, there is the possibility of managing offices and packaging plants in Cyprus and abroad based on needs. Also, there is a provision for lending to the company through the Council with the approval of the Minister of Finance.
This evolution ensures the perfect marketing and disposal of Cypriot potatoes, protecting the producer's income through a modern and financially sound framework.
The termination of the activities of the SEKP was decided by the Council of Ministers in May 2007 and since then its operation has been extended by new decisions of the Council of Ministers until the approval of the bill, i.e. until the establishment of a legal entity under private law that will assume its responsibilities. The Ministry took actions to modernize the SEKP in order to respond to modern challenges for the benefit of potato producers. The articles of association of the company under establishment provided for in the provisions of the bill have already been drawn up and it is essentially a legal entity of private law which will be governed by the provisions of the "Companies Law" and will perform the responsibilities of the SEKP with more flexibility.
The passage of the "Trade of Cyprus Potatoes (Amendment) Law of 2026" by the House of Representatives is an important step towards solving a problem that has been bothering the agricultural world for a number of years, creating an environment of insecurity in one of the most important sectors of Cypriot agriculture. With the entry into force of the law on 1 October 2026, the Council continues to operate with the existing staff at that time and cannot appoint new permanent staff.
It is noted that the Council may: (a) Grant pensions, allowances or severance allowances to its employees and impose on them a compulsory contribution to any pension or contribution scheme and (b) manage offices, warehouses or packaging plants in the Republic or abroad, depending on its needs, following a recommendation by the President and the approval of the Council.
Historical review of the evolution of the SEKP
The Council of Ministers, by decision of the date. 16/5/2007 and entitled "Future role and evolution of the Cyprus Potato Marketing Council", decided, inter alia, that: a) Approves the termination of the commercial activities of the SEKP, no later than 31/8/2008, b) A single body is established by the potato producers, which will undertake the marketing of potatoes after 31/8/2008.
From then until 2022, extensions of the operation of the SEKP were given, until final decisions were made.
In 2022, based on the decisions of the Council of Ministers, dated. 21/6/2022 and date. 18/10/2022, the following were approved: a) The continuation of the operation of the SEKP as a Public Law Organization until September 30, 2023 and, at the same time, b) a Technical Committee was created, the purpose of which was to examine and present suggestions for the future of the SEKP, having the possibility of assigning, to a specialized body, the conduct of a relevant study. Based on the above, the announcement of a tender and the award of the offer (10/3/2023), for the conduct of the "Study on the future of the Cyprus Potato Marketing Council (SEKP)", proceeded. The contractor of this study was the company Grant Thornton (Cyprus) Ltd.
The contractor, based on the recording and analysis of the current situation, which included the identification of the challenges that exist in relation to the existing institutional and operational framework, presented and analyzed four scenarios regarding the future of the AFMP.
By decision of the Council of Ministers dated. On 5/8/2024, the extension of the operation of the SEKP as it stands, until 30/9/2025, was approved, in order to carry out all the necessary procedures for the preparation and submission of a relevant amending bill for the continuation of the operation of the SEKP as a Public Law Organization and for the establishment of a private law company, with the SEKP as the sole shareholder to carry out the required works on its behalf.
Subsequently, the Council of Ministers, with the decision of the date. 17/9/2025 approved the extension of the operation of the Cyprus Potato Marketing Council as it stands, until 31/12/2025.
At its meeting on 8/10/2025, the Council of Ministers took a decision to approve the bill concerning the "Trade of Cyprus Potatoes (Amendment) Law of 2025" and authorize the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment to submit the relevant bill to the House of Representatives for voting.
The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources studied the above bill, in seven sessions, which took place between 11/11/2025 and 10/3/2026. Following the approval of the bill into law by the Plenary Session of the Parliament on 19/3/2026, on 2/4/2026 it was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus and enters into force on 1/10/2026.
