Farmers in Aradippou are taking matters into their own hands as fears of foot-and-mouth disease escalate. With the municipality’s backing, they are installing disinfection tanks to safeguard their livestock from this potentially devastating outbreak.
Photo: in-cyprus.philenews.com
Aradippou, recognised as Cyprus’s leading milk production area, is home to one of the largest livestock herds in the country. Farmers are increasingly anxious that the disease’s spread could have dire consequences for their investments, which amount to tens of millions of euros.
Photo: in-cyprus.philenews.com
Mayor Christodoulos Partou has been actively involved in the initiative. At a recent site visit, he confirmed that two disinfection tanks are currently being set up, with plans for a total of seven or eight. “We are preparing to close roads to limit access to livestock units. This is a very difficult situation. The state could have announced a comprehensive plan for all units. We are not panicking but we must act,” he stated, highlighting the urgency of the measures.
Local farmer Andreas Symeou expressed gratitude for the swift action taken by the municipality. “We are in turmoil. We invested a lot of money, our lives and our property in this work to support our families and the economy of Cyprus. That is why we are here today while the works are under way. We sprayed our farms, we sprayed the roads and we will stay here with the crews until these works are completed,” he explained.
When asked if he expected the state to implement protective measures, Symeou replied affirmatively, noting that it is the responsibility of the relevant authorities. “Unfortunately, if they do not change the way they operate, we will keep seeing such incidents,” he cautioned. He also pointed out that sampling checks had yet to commence in Aradippou.
Another local dairy farmer, Michalis Constantinou, shared his concerns about producers needing to protect their properties during the holiday season. He remarked that when the disease emerged in the occupied areas, all farms in the government-controlled regions took preventive steps. “If some producers brought animal feed from the occupied areas, that is criminal. It is up to the state to find the cause of the transmission,” he stated, emphasising the need for accountability.
In a related issue, livestock farmer George Demetriou, whose unit recently reported positive cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Voroklini, revealed that the Veterinary Services had instructed them to identify a burial site for infected animals. He mentioned that if culling is decided, approximately 4,500 animals from his unit and a neighbouring farm will need to be put down. Farmers whose units have tested positive continue to face the grim reality of animal deaths.
