Farmers are to confront the agriculture ministry on Monday after a cabinet decision to allocate an additional 3.5 million cubic metres of water for irrigation failed to ease concerns over shortages.
The cabinet recently approved the release of 3.5 million cubic metres of irrigation water, with two million cubic metres directed to the Paphos irrigation project and 1.5 million cubic metres to the ‘southern conveyor system’.
While the measure is intended to provide relief during a year marked by severe water scarcity, farming representatives contend that the distribution has intensified perceptions of inequality between districts.
According to news outlet Reporter, farmers argue that Larnaca and Famagusta have been placed at a disadvantage despite the southern conveyor system serving a significantly larger agricultural area.
Concern has been expressed by potato growers in Kokkinochoria, who continue to face uncertainty over whether sufficient water will be available to sustain production through the growing season.
Officials from farming organisations maintain that irrigation supplies for olive groves and fruit orchards are already approaching exhaustion.
Producers fear available reserves may not be sufficient to last until the end of the summer, raising concerns over crop losses and reduced agricultural output.
Farmers have repeatedly warned that reduced irrigation threatens permanent crops and risks undermining food production, while also increasing costs across the sector.
Pan-agricultural association secretary-general Tasos Yiapanis said water remained the most urgent issue facing farmers.
“It is not possible to have reserves of the order of 121 million cubic metres and not be able to allocate another two million cubic metres of water for potato cultivation,” he remarked to Reporter.
He warned that producers operating under contractual obligations and agricultural support schemes could face significant financial losses and penalties if cultivation targets are not met.
Yiapanis also raised concerns over unresolved issues involving forest plots in areas including Xylofagou and Sotira.
He said restrictions on subletting land prevent some farmers from claiming compensation following natural disasters and limit their ability to access agricultural subsidies.
Farming organisations argue that agriculture has borne the greatest burden of the water crisis and insist that available reserves should be used to protect production and prevent further losses across the sector.
