Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou announced on Wednesday a total funding package exceeding €23 million to support the primary sector and fire-affected areas of mountainous Limassol, following a Council of Ministers meeting.

The decisions include three basic support schemes for farmers and livestock breeders, as well as urgent interventions for critical infrastructure, Panayiotou said.

The Council of Ministers approved three schemes from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment totalling €23.5 million as part of efforts to restore the primary sector and support rural producers affected by the fires, following the President’s announcements.

The first scheme provides immediate financial assistance of €5 million to all affected farmers and livestock breeders, whether they submitted area subsidy applications to the Agricultural Payments Organisation for 2025 or not.

Application collection has been completed for those who had not submitted their area applications for 2025.

Payments are targeted to begin on Monday, 4 August, and be completed within the coming week. The scheme provides de minimis support of €50,000, whilst cases exceeding €50,000 will be paid through standard procedures.

The assistance covers total income loss of one year and is immediate.

The second approved scheme allocates €15.5 million for implementing an emergency reactivation plan aimed at restoring productive activity in the primary sector.

The scheme provides compensation of up to 80% for those wishing to reactivate in the primary sector and undertake damage restoration actions. This applies to farmers and livestock breeders participating in the Agricultural Production Protection and Insurance Fund.

For those not participating in the fund, an additional €3 million investment scheme has been approved covering restoration of fixed assets including agricultural equipment, greenhouses, shade houses, irrigation systems, livestock facilities and beekeeping investments, with total subsidies of 65% of eligible expenses.

The two latter schemes, worth €15.5 million and €3 million respectively, are targeted to open within the week, most likely on Saturday.

Officials will be stationed at Community Councils of affected areas and at the District Office of the Agriculture Department in Limassol province to answer queries and receive applications.

Further details and telephone numbers will be posted within the day.

Source - https://in-cyprus.philenews.com