First Agricultural Officer, Makis Antoniadis, represented the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, Petros Xenophon, at the 6th Bitter Orange Festival, an event organized by the independent group "Impact" in Episkopi, Limassol on the 7th of May.

Through Antoniadis’ words, Petros Xenophon said that “the government is determined to breathe new life into the agricultural sector, chart a new course that meets the needs and addresses the real problems of rural communities”. He noted that the governments’ goal is “to support these communities so that they remain vibrant centers of economic, social and cultural development, through sectors like agriculture, tourism and by protecting their natural environment.”

As he added, although the agricultural sector represents a small part of the Gross National Product of Cyprus, it has a significant impact on other sectors of the economy, so its true value is multiplied.

"Agriculture contributes to maintaining the rural areas’ social fabric and limiting urbanization and desertification. Moreover, agricultural activity protects and preserves the natural environment and landscape and contributes to reducing the climate change impact," the Minister said.

Afterwards, he mentioned that in recent years, Cypriot agriculture has been facing multiple challenges due to the current conditions. "The government, specifically the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, takes these complications into account, it aims to continue its multifaceted action and make every possible effort to improve the competitiveness of the agricultural sector," he added.

Later, Petros Xenophon referred to the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-27 Strategic Plan, which is expected to play a crucial role in supporting agricultural activity and sustainable rural development, with a total funding of 454 million euros. As he said, the CAP 2023-27 includes proposals and acts that promote farmers’ sustainable and competitive activity. At the same time, the Strategic Plan mitigates the environmental and climate challenges.

"In parallel with the above and in line with the EU policies, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment places special emphasis on expanding the restructuring and improving the sector’s operation. Examples include the reform of risk management in agricultural production, the legislative regulations in order to address unfair commercial practices in the agri-food supply chain, as well as the improvement of the operation of the Farmer's Markets so that farmers would benefit more," the Minister concluded.