Minister of Agriculture pushing for a 'Farmers Card'

Agriculture Minister Petros Xenofonos announced today during a meeting of the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee that he intends to create a farmer's card to provide services to the agricultural world. According to him, the farmer's card will be created in collaboration with credit institutions and will aim to provide farmers with the capability to move or transfer funds as well as other similar benefits.

Among the priorities of the new Minister are:

-The stabilization of the agricultural income the improvement of the conditions of economic activity of farmers and the safeguarding of production.

- The creation of an agricultural auction (included in the Recovery and Resilience Fund), through which it is expected that better planning of production will be made and security of transactions will be enhanced by timely payment of farmers and transparency of prices. The aim is to reduce the difference between the selling price of the product from production and the purchase price by the consumer, thereby redressing one of the biggest injustices in the food supply and distribution chain.

- Limiting the use of pesticides and antibiotics, through a mechanism that will control pesticide and antibiotic residues in agricultural and livestock products respectively, throughout the food production and distribution chain - both products produced in our country and imported products and those transported across the Green Line from the occupied territories on the basis of the relevant EU regulation.

- Strengthening the control of illegal fishing, by creating artificial reefs and upgrading fishing shelters.

- Address marine pollution incidents through cooperation between Cyprus and neighboring countries and the purchase of modern equipment and vessels.

- Establish onshore infrastructure to serve aquaculture units.

[This article was translated from its Greek original]