The approval of an additional €2 million. in order to cover all young people who have expressed interest in joining the primary sector, announced the President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, speaking at the 10th Festival of Rural Culture of the KOAP in Protaras.
The President reiterated that the Government will stand by the agricultural world, referring, among other things, to the more than €20 million that has been paid for the consequences of foot-and-mouth disease, to the €4.6 million for the effects of the drought and to the support plans due to the increased production costs. At the same time, he noted that on October 8, the consultations for the new programming period of the Common Agricultural Policy will officially begin.
The following is the address of the President of the Republic:
It is with great pleasure that I participate again this year in the Festival of Rural Culture.
I am here because I really believe in the primary sector, I am here as a minimum sign of respect for the agricultural world, I am here because I really believe, especially for the new sector in general and we are happy for the results so far, there is a strong, increased interest in activation in the primary sector and as a State we will stand by this effort. I know that from the new plan we have been exploring, another two million euros are needed. To benefit everyone, these two million are approved by our Government, so that all young people who have expressed interest are eligible.
Allow me to congratulate the CAPO, not only for the Festival, they do an excellent job, I know it because I am close to the rural world, I am close to the countryside, they are the messages they convey to me and I am really happy for what I hear.
I am well aware that the sector is currently facing many challenges. Most importantly, however, it is this effort that we are making to turn challenges into opportunities for the sector, and I really believe that we can achieve that. We have the effects of climate change, we have the need for a green transition and the protection of natural resources, we have the requirements for safe and quality food and all this, undoubtedly, affects the conditions of production. Our responsibility is to turn these challenges, and we can do so, into opportunities for a more modern, competitive and sustainable primary sector.
It is precisely in this effort that the Common Agricultural Policy is the most basic tool at our disposal. And especially in the case of Cyprus, where the agricultural sector today represents a small percentage of GDP, but its importance far exceeds its economic contribution to GDP, we must work on the basis of a clear plan and planning, so as to strengthen the sector even more.
In this context, the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy plays a decisive role in achieving our goals, with funding of €454 million.
At the same time, the Festival takes place at a time when discussions are taking place in the EU on the Common Agricultural Policy, on October 8 we officially start the consultations, so that the goals for the new programming period can be set.
And certainly our pursuit is what will be agreed to meet your own needs, that of the agricultural world.
In the 22 years of its existence, the CFO has been responsible for paying farmers direct payments, such as hectare and sectoral financial aid to specific sectors of production, as well as the aid provided for under the Measures of the Common Market Organisations.
During these years, the Organization has evolved and modernized its operation and today it operates much more efficiently. And at the same time – because on these issues our tolerance is zero – with full respect for the European and national regulatory framework.
Let me remind you that since its establishment, the KOAP has paid a total of more than two and a half billion euros in grants to our farmers, with the highest absorption rates this year by all EU member states.
At the same time, our interventions are not limited to the financial support we receive from the EU. We must, as a State, be present even when extraordinary conditions test the production and income of people in the primary sector. Only in this way do you show your real interest as a Government towards this world.
A typical example is the recent foot-and-mouth crisis, for the treatment of the consequences of which more than €20 million have been paid to date, while at the same time we are working for the safe reactivation of the affected livestock units.
At the same time, to address the effects of last year's drought, we have secured additional funding of €4.6 million to support our farmers.
At the same time, we are very aware of the pressures on the primary sector stemming from geopolitical developments, the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, all of which significantly burden production costs.
We have increased prices of fuel, fertilizers and other necessary agricultural supplies and we responded immediately with a plan of €2.5 million. We recently decided on a new plan because we saw additional needs with another €1 million to meet the needs of the people.
For us, for our own governance, the direction is clear and our goal is clear: a more competitive and resilient primary sector, with water security, protection and sustainable utilization of our natural resources, adaptation to climate change and better services to the producer and the citizen.
This is exactly the philosophy of our revised Strategy for the primary sector. Our Strategy is very specific, it concerns 11 sectors, which concern modern technology applications – we need to utilize technology in the primary sector – attracting young people to the profession – and I am pleased with the results so far – agricultural education, creating better conditions for a fair and stable income, as well as the production and marketing of high-quality products.
I would like to thank you again for your invitation to place the Festival under my auspices. You should know that the Government is next to the KOAP, it is next to the agricultural world and we will do everything possible – we have the financial capacity precisely because of our economic responsibility, our country today in this very difficult geopolitical environment has one of the highest growth rates in Europe, we have managed to reduce unemployment to 2008 rates, we are in category 'A' of all the Rating Agencies, there is a public surplus – we are here to invest all this in sectors that affect the daily life of the citizen, in areas that affect the daily life of our farmer.
