Nicosia: Authorities on Sunday announced a ban on any movement of animals and feed, including grazing outside livestock premises, after cases of foot and mouth disease were identified in a small number of farms in the Larnaca district.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Cyprus Veterinary Services stated in an announcement that, within the framework of measures to control and limit the spread of the Foot and Mouth Disease pathogen, 'any movement of animals and feed, including grazing outside livestock premises, is prohibited throughout Cyprus' without getting prior approval by the competent Services. The ban also affects animal transfers to slaughterhouses.
The Agriculture Department has sent written recommendations to local authorities and district administration offices in Larnaca, Limassol, and Paphos for preventive measures. The foot and mouth disease cases were detected in farms in the communities of Livadia and Oroklini in the Larnaca district. Officials of neighboring communities in the same district that also host farms such as Athienou, Aradippou, and Dromolaxia-Meneou, reported that they are monitoring the situation and are taking preventive measures in cooperation with the farmers such as preparing disinfection tanks and gathering equipment to block off access to farms if deemed necessary.
Representatives of the local authorities of the affected communities, Livadia and Oroklini, are providing support services to farmers to address the situation, including water for disinfection and lighting using photovoltaics. Meanwhile, cow, sheep, and goat farmers and farmers' organizations emphasized the need to contain the disease through stricter protection measures while also calling for financial assistance for those affected.
They warned that if the disease spreads, it could be catastrophic to the economy, potentially resulting in thousands of job losses. They also highlighted that farmers have taken significant loans for their businesses, which now risk becoming non-performing. In response to the outbreak, some communities have decided to cancel carnival and other events to prevent possible further spread of the disease, especially since some venues are located near farms.