The EU’s support to agriculture must take into account new conditions and challenges faced by the sector, was the position taken by Cyprus during a discussion regarding the approval by the Commission of the Member States’ strategic plans for the implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy in Brussels.
The discussion took place during Monday’s meeting of the the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the European Union. Cyprus was represented by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Andreas Gregoriou.
During a discussion on strategic plans by the member states for the implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy, Gregoriou said that Cyprus will start implementing its own strategic plan from January 1st 2023.
The member states also discussed the problems caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the agricultural market. Gregoriou said that the rise in fertiliser, feed and fuel prices has significantly reduced profit margins for producers, while the results of climate change have led to a reduction in production.
The Council also adopted conclusions on the new EU strategic guidelines for aquaculture. Cyprus, for its part, stressed the importance of having a common vision to address related challenges, taking into account the specific characteristics of each EU member state.
During the discussion that followed the presentation by the Commission of a proposed Regulation on the correct use of pesticides, Gregoriou welcomed the Commission’s proposal and pointed out that each Member State has different starting points. He stressed that Cyprus will be a constructive participants of consultations so that the final text will be beneficial to both the environment as well as the agricultural sector.
Source: Cyprus News Agency