Newsroom
Farmers across Cyprus say they’ve been hit with shocking water bills going back nearly ten years, and they warn the sudden charges could put them out of business.
Agricultural groups are up in arms after the Water Development Department began sending letters demanding retroactive fees for water use dating back to 2017. The bills, which must be paid by early April, range from a few thousand euros to more than €110,000 in some cases.
“This feels like the final blow,” said Christos Papapetrou, general secretary of the Panagrotika Union of Cyprus. “You can’t ignore something for ten years and then suddenly demand huge sums. Farmers simply don’t have that kind of money.”
The fees come from a decision taken in 2017 to charge one cent for every ton of water used, on top of the cost farmers already pay. But according to farmers, the rule was never enforced until now.
That delay, they say, is not their fault.
“During all these years, nobody asked us to pay this,” Papapetrou said. “Now they’ve remembered it, and they want everything at once.”
The Water Development Department has started by targeting farmers and agricultural companies that use their own boreholes, springs or rivers for irrigation. Many say those boreholes were their only option during long periods of drought, especially since state water is often not available for seasonal crops or new plantings.
Some farmers have received bills of €2,000 or €3,000. Others are facing charges in the tens of thousands of euros.
One company, Papapetrou said, was sent a bill for more than €110,000.
“Do they think they’re dealing with multinationals?” he asked. “These are family businesses just trying to survive.”
Farmers are also angry about how the charges were calculated. In cases where water use could not be measured, the department says it will estimate consumption itself, a process farmers say is unclear and unfair.
“How will they decide how much water we used?” Papapetrou asked. “On what data?”
Agricultural organizations have asked for an urgent meeting with Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou, who is expected to meet them after returning from abroad.
Until then, farmers say they will not pay.
“We don’t accept retroactive charges,” Papapetrou said. “Farmers pay for their mistakes every day. Who will pay for the mistakes of the state?”
He warned that the decision could push many farmers to the brink at a time when rising costs, drought and uncertainty are already hurting the sector.
“If this goes ahead,” he said, “it will finish agriculture in Cyprus."
