The cabinet approved an extra €6.35 million for livestock farmers affected by foot and mouth disease on Wednesday.
Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou stated the government is committed to supporting the sector’s recovery.
The package includes €4.85 million for compensation payments to farmers for losses of livestock, milk, and animal feed, plus an additional €1.5 million in targeted support for affected sheep and goat farmers.
Panayiotou said the latest decisions bring the government’s total support for the livestock sector to €39 million.
“With these €4.85 million, we estimate that we will complete all compensation payments related to the loss of livestock, hay, milk and other damages,” she said.
The minister rejected suggestions that compensation payments had stalled, saying around €16 million had already been paid to affected farmers.
She explained that only 15 cases remain outstanding after discrepancies were found during the verification process.
“These files involve differences in livestock numbers or other issues that required legal guidance,” Panayiotou stated.
She added that the cases have been referred to the Legal Service and are now undergoing final checks before payments can be released.
“I want to stress that these are the last 15 livestock farmers,” she said. “Claims that we have not paid compensation or provided support are simply not true.”
The additional €1.5 million approved by the cabinet will be distributed exclusively to sheep and goat farmers.
Panayiotou said the decision reflects the needs of the sector, which is made up largely of small and semi-professional producers.
She emphasised the significance of sheep and goat farming for Cyprus’ halloumi industry, calling it crucial for the agricultural economy.
The minister stated that the new funding comes after commitments made in a recent meeting with livestock farmers chaired by President Nikos Christodoulides.
She noted that the government had intentionally simplified the compensation process.
Farmers need only to sign a declaration when registering and culling animals, while the Veterinary Services handle the rest.
Panayiotou mentioned that the extra funding would allow for immediate compensation once each case is approved.
She concluded that the government has upheld its promise to support livestock farmers during the outbreak and will continue to assist the sector as it recovers.
