Newsroom
What should have been the beginning of a profitable harvest has instead turned into a season of loss for potato farmers in eastern Cyprus, after powerful winds carrying sea salt destroyed early crops across several agricultural communities.
Farmers in Ormidia, Xylofagou, Liopetri and Sotira are now assessing the damage, and in many cases, there is little left to assess.
According to Andreas Karyos, representing the Pancyprian Coordination of Potato Producers, large sections of early potato plantations were effectively wiped out when strong coastal winds pushed salty moisture inland, burning the plants and killing crops that were nearly ready for harvest.
In simple terms: months of work disappeared in a matter of hours.
A silent but devastating enemy
Unlike storms that flood fields or hail that leaves visible destruction, salt damage works differently. The plants absorb the salinity, dry out, and collapse, often beyond recovery before farmers even realize how serious the impact is.
Producers say the scale of destruction appears significant, adding yet another challenge to an agricultural sector already struggling with rising costs and unpredictable weather.
Karyos has asked officials from the Department of Agriculture to visit the affected areas as soon as possible so an official damage assessment can be issued. That step is crucial, as farmers cannot file compensation claims without formal confirmation from authorities.
Damage spreads across Kokkinochoria
The problems extend beyond open fields. Several greenhouses in the wider Kokkinochoria region have also been affected, particularly near Paralimni, while smaller losses were reported in parts of Sotira.
For many growers, this is not an isolated setback but part of a growing pattern of consecutive blows.
Farmers still waiting for past compensation
Producers are now calling on Agriculture Minister Maria Panagiotou to move forward with compensation proposals linked to frost damage suffered last February, payments many say are still pending.
With a new disaster arriving before previous losses were fully addressed, frustration is rising across farming communities.
Growers warn that without quick support, the issue is no longer just about one failed crop season but about whether some farmers will be able to plant again at all.
