Pergamos: Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture have suspended the operations and milk deliveries of eleven livestock units in the Pergamos area, located within the British Bases, due to concerns regarding foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Andreas Gregoriou, stated that the suspension will continue until an administrative inspection is completed. Gregoriou elaborated that livestock plots in Pergamos, which are situated within the British Base Areas, are allocated to Turkish Cypriot farmers from state land. These farmers are registered with the Republic of Cyprus' Veterinary Services, making them subject to inspections by state authorities.
Gregoriou mentioned that livestock units in the area supply milk to dairies in the government-controlled areas. However, the decision to temporarily suspend milk deliveries was made to address compliance issues and mitigate the risk of spreading foot-and-mouth disease. He clarified that no cases of the disease have been detected in the specific units thus far, but inspections were necessary and are expected to conclude in the coming days. Subsequent decisions will be based on the findings of these inspections.
The Permanent Secretary emphasized, "Since the units are registered and have a Veterinary Services code, we have an obligation to carry out inspections." He added that such checks are routinely conducted but have been intensified given the current situation. Gregoriou also expressed concerns about unregistered Turkish Cypriot livestock units operating in the area, which could pose contamination risks due to their proximity to registered farms.
Gregoriou noted that the administration of the Sovereign Base Areas Administration is required to instruct owners of unregistered units to comply with the legislation of the Republic of Cyprus, which is enforced within the bases. The need for the administrative inspection arose following a complaint that suggested milk from unregulated farms might have been mixed and transported from the occupied areas to the government-controlled areas. The suspension of operations and milk deliveries will remain in place until the inspection process is fully completed.