Brussels:Cyprus has urged the European Union to provide coordinated support to counter rising energy and fertiliser costs, stated Christos Senekis, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. He made this appeal on Monday as he arrived at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels.

According to Cyprus News Agency, Senekis emphasized the need for EU assistance to address these increasing costs, highlighting the challenges European agriculture faces, such as climate change, higher production costs, and animal diseases. He stressed the importance of substantial and adequate EU backing to effectively manage these challenges, especially in light of the upcoming discussions on the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2027.

Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, who presides over the Council due to Ireland's rotating EU presidency, outlined the discussion framework. He noted that solidarity with Ukraine remains a central theme of the presidency, with the Ukrainian minister for agrarian policy and food participating in the meeting. Heydon emphasized the necessity for a well-funded CAP post-2027 to support farmers' incomes, food production, environmental goals, and rural resilience, aiming for a partial agreement by the October Council meeting.

The council's agenda also includes discussions on the fertiliser action plan to build resilience in EU supply chains and reduce input costs for farmers. Additionally, they will address the impact of drought and severe weather on food production across Europe, along with Commission support and inter-member state cooperation. Heydon highlighted the importance of insurance in agriculture, noting that it only takes one crisis to deplete the agricultural crisis reserve.