The Limassol Goat and Sheep Farmers Group "O Pimenas" LTD, O.P.A., Goat and Sheep Producers Group LTD, Paphos Goat Producers Group (Cheligas) LTD, M.P.O.AI LTD, SEPTICA LTD and the Akamas - Paphos Area Sheep Producers Group (AP) LTD announced that following a decision of the Goat and Sheep Producers Steering Committee they will not participate in the protest event announced for Monday, 21 March.
Specifically, in a press release they state that the whole attitude of the Farmers' Organisations played a catalytic role in their decision, stating that they "made unilateral decisions completely ignoring the existence of the representatives of the Goat and Sheep Farmers' Groups, who are officially the representatives of the sector, without showing cooperation and basic respect".
They also state that from the conflicting decisions and announcements of the Farmers' Organisations that it is obvious that they serve the political expediencies of the parties they represent, adding that it is vital for the sector that everyone understands that decisions on sheep and goat farming should be taken by the sheep and goat farmers alone, and no one else.
Further, the Coordination Committee referred to the main demands of the sector, for which a protest was announced, namely the implementation of PDO halalumi and direct financial support for the sheep and goat sector, takes the view that it is procedurally correct to allow a few days for the final conclusion of the announcement by the Ministry of Agriculture on the faithful application of the legislation on halalumi as a Product of Designation of Origin (PDO) and the control of the production of the product and the assurance by the Minister of Agriculture of immediate financial support for sheep and goat farmers, the amount of which will be announced after the meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture and the European Commission tomorrow, Monday 21 March.
Source: CNA
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