In addition to the immediate measures to reduce foot-and-mouth disease and compensation for slaughtered animals, feed and lost milk, totalling €20 million, the State is proceeding with the implementation of a comprehensive support framework.
At the heart of this planning are three additional projects with a total budget of €10 million, which aim at the substantial reactivation of the affected livestock farmers, taking into account the special report on the recovery and reconstruction of Cypriot livestock farming prepared by the Special Scientific Committee under Stavros Malas.
Essentially, the Department of Agriculture will run the plans as part of the implementation of measures to prevent the acceleration of transmission of foot-and-mouth disease or other contagious epizootics. The first plan concerns the support of livestock farmers (sheep, goat and cattle breeders) affected by foot-and-mouth disease to replenish their livestock with animals of high genetic value.
The second promotes the relocation of livestock units from existing livestock areas affected by foot-and-mouth disease to other areas where conditions for easy transmission of epizootic disease will not be created.
The third promotes compensation for the demolition of livestock units from existing livestock areas affected by foot-and-mouth disease and the owner's exit from the profession of livestock breeder.
These plans, which are put to public consultation before being approved by the Commissioner for State Aid Control and the Ministry of Finance, aspire to protect the sector, renew livestock with quality characteristics and decongest livestock areas.
The plans will be discussed, in the context of the relevant consultation, at the meeting of the Special Advisory Committee for the support of livestock farmers affected by foot-and-mouth disease that will take place at the Ministry of Agriculture, on November 18.
The first part of the planning after the foot-and-mouth crisis focused on the immediate financial relief of producers whose farms were affected and where forced slaughter of animals took place.
Compensation is directly linked to the reactivation process itself. Its calculation is based on the financial or tax data of 2024 or 2025, starting from the net profit before taxes from livestock activity.
From this amount, the aid of the CSO included in the revenues is deducted, with the exception of the Coupled Aid for Sheep and Goats where provided.
Fixed asset depreciation, interest on farm loans, as well as confirmed debts for 2026 to municipal or community authorities are added.
In the case of using 2024 data, an adjustment is applied if the change in production exceeds 10%.
For small sheep and goat farms with less than 100 productive animals, a simplified procedure is provided with a single amount per animal, relieving livestock farmers of the bureaucracy of submitting accounting data, while for units of 51 to 99 animals, the option of an individual assessment is also given.
A basic condition for the disbursement of the compensation is the restoration of at least 30% of the productive livestock within eight months from the issuance of the relevant certificate of the Veterinary Services. Payment is made in two instalments: A 50% deposit upon presentation of animal order receipts and the remaining 50% after confirmation of reactivation.
At the same time, a separate proposal is being forwarded to the Council of Ministers to cover the salary costs and employer contributions of the staff of the affected units, ensuring the preservation of jobs until the reopening or until the termination of employment.
Livestock reconstitution plan with animals of high genetic value
With a budget of €6 million, the livestock support plan aims to radically upgrade the quality of livestock in the affected units that wish to be reactivated.
Interested breeders will be supplied with breeding animals from certified donor units that meet strict criteria. The relevant list will be open and dynamic, adapting to the needs and the course of health controls.
The aid is differentiated according to the species, age and productivity of the animal, with maximum prices per category. In addition, the difference is covered in cases where the cost of purchasing animals of high genetic value exceeds the compensation for the slaughter of a corresponding number of animals, more than 6 months for sheep and goats and 12 months for cattle.
The Department of Agriculture is responsible, while the approval of the list of donor units will be done by a three-member committee consisting of representatives of the Department of Agriculture (chairman), the Institute of Agricultural Research and the Veterinary Services.
Two plans to decongest livestock areas
The second field of interventions includes two distinct projects with a total budget of €4 million. (€2 million each), which aim to decongest the existing livestock areas affected by the epidemic. Specifically, the Department of Agriculture, with the aim of decongesting livestock areas, prepared two different plans for the demolition of livestock units from existing livestock areas affected by foot-and-mouth disease, giving them the right to relocate or not to other areas. The plans will be put to consultation before being forwarded to the Commissioner for State Aid Control and the Ministry of Finance, for approval.
A. Voluntary retirement scheme (€2 million): It is aimed at livestock farmers with premises with a capacity of up to 150 sheep and goats aged 6 months and over or 60 cattle aged 12 months and over that are in affected livestock areas and wish to permanently terminate their activity instead of relocating.
The compensation covers 100% of the present value for licensed premises and 80% for non-licensed premises.
Additional bonus of 20% on the approved amount for those who demolish their premises within three months of the final approval.
B. Livestock relocation plan (€2 million): It concerns sheep and goat farming units with a capacity of 50 to 150 affected production animals, which will demolish their existing facilities to relocate to new, safer areas where the risk of transmission of zoonoses is minimized.
And in this case, the compensation amounts to 100% of the value for licensed premises and 80% for non-licensed premises.
For the construction of the new modern premises, the beneficiaries can evaluate their own resources or secure aid through the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
With these three targeted plans, the State seeks to turn an unprecedented health crisis into an opportunity for modernization. Ensuring high genetic value of livestock, rational decongestion of areas and fair compensation for lost income and jobs are the foundations on which a more resilient, sustainable and safe Cypriot livestock farming is called upon to be built.
