It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I am with you today at the Pancyprian Congress of the Cyprus Pan-Agricultural Association. This year's Pancyprian Congress is taking place at a time of unprecedented developments and multiple challenges. Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine, combined with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, have caused a cascading negative impact on the social and economic spectrum of all countries. The impact on the primary sector is particularly severe. In our country, due to the many specificities of our primary sector, the consequences of the successive crises have been even greater. For 33 years, since its foundation in 1989, Panagrotikos has always been close to the farmer, fully identified with the needs of the agricultural and livestock sector and actively involved in the agricultural events of the country. The development of the rural economy, the improvement of working conditions and the standard of living of the rural population, the social and technological rise of the agricultural and livestock sector and the protection of the environment are among the objectives that Panagrotikos has set from the outset and for the implementation of which it strives. At the same time, it is actively involved in European decision-making centres concerning farmers and is dynamically represented in cooperatives and organisations that exert considerable influence in these centres. Rightly, therefore, our rural world, realising the multifaceted action of the Cyprus Pan-Agricultural Association for its benefit, has made it the largest agricultural organisation in our country, with the appropriate visibility in the entire society.
The achievement of the objectives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment requires cooperation and partnership with both the Pan-Agricultural Association and other agricultural organisations, through a fruitful, honest and constructive dialogue. I feel particularly satisfied and warmly thank the entire agricultural movement and especially Panagrotikos, for their general attitude and their decisive contribution to the implementation of the Government's policies over the last four years, aiming at the modernization of the agricultural sector of our country, the increase of rural income, the rise of the standard of living in the Cypriot countryside and the protection of the natural environment. I believe that, together, without unnecessary confrontations, endless discussions and regressions, and despite the obstacles and challenges, we have managed to take significant steps to support the Cypriot farmer.
A strategic objective of our Ministry, which has been "embraced" and supported by all agricultural organisations without exception, is the continuous progress and development of our agricultural sector, having as priorities the modernisation and improvement of the competitiveness of farms and the support of the production of quality agricultural products. To achieve these objectives, we have put in place all available European financial instruments. From 2014, when the current period of the Rural Development Programme has started, until this year, when its transitional period ends, a total of more than €850 million will have been targeted to our rural world, both from European and national funds. Especially for the 2021-22 transition period, programmes and support measures have been designed, with a budget of close to €100 million. Applications are currently being submitted for Measures "4.1. Investments improving the overall performance and viability of agricultural holdings", "5.2. Support for investments to restore agricultural potential" and "6.1. Support for the first setting up of young farmers" and all potential beneficiary farmers are invited to take the necessary steps to receive the relevant support in this admittedly difficult period. In order to further support agricultural activity and the sustainable development of the countryside, the new Common Agricultural Policy until 2027 is expected to play a decisive role, in the design of which we actively participated as an EU Member State, incorporating provisions favourable to our country.
At the same time, in line with Community policies, we have extended the actions to reorganise and improve the functioning of the agricultural sector. The reform of the sector of risk management in agricultural production, as well as legislation to tackle Unfair Commercial Practices in the agri-food supply chain and to improve the functioning of the Farmers' Markets for the benefit of our farmers, are just some of these actions. We also attach particular importance to the promotion of the uniqueness of Cypriot products. The registration of halalumi as a Protected Designation of Origin product is a very important collective success, while we are firmly committed to the inclusion of other agricultural products in the European Union's lists of geographical indications. In the same direction, at the national level, we have created a bill for the establishment of the award of the Cyprus Label to quality agricultural products of our country.
Of course, despite the joint efforts and achievements we have all achieved together, the agricultural sector in our country still faces many challenges. The economic crisis of the last decade was followed by the coronavirus pandemic, which is still hampering the economic life of our country, affecting the agricultural sector as well. The Government is making use of all existing possibilities for dealing with the pandemic and is trying to reduce its economic impact. In the agricultural sector, more than 30 measures have been taken to date to deal with the effects of the pandemic and more than EUR 25 million have been allocated to support all affected agricultural sectors. At the same time, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is having an additional negative impact on the economy. We have to manage both the energy crisis it has caused and a potential crisis in food sufficiency and sufficiency and the increased cost of feed and agro-food. To address these issues, and in constant consultation with the agricultural movement, the Government is making use of all existing possibilities, aiming primarily at reducing the economic impact. To mitigate this, financial support of around eight million euro will soon be paid to the sheep and goat, cow and pig sectors. At this point, I consider it important to mention that Cyprus was one of the few countries in the European Union that immediately and without delay provided support, through its national budget, to its agricultural sector for the consequences of the Russian invasion. In fact, our country was a leading player in the effort to convince the European Commission to allocate additional funds from the Community budget to support farmers because of the situation in Ukraine. This is an effort which, with our persistence and the appropriate consultations and alliances, seems to be bearing fruit. I will be able to give more specific information on this matter after the forthcoming EU Council of Agriculture Ministers.
With regard specifically to the consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, I would like to place before you the certainty of the correctness of the decision to abolish the loss-making Grains Commission. The Government, in abolishing the Commission, had provided for the establishment of legislation to maintain stocks of feed and grain raw materials for human consumption, aimed at limiting adverse effects in cases of serious disruption in supply due to shortages, exceptional hardship, war conflicts and other emergencies. The crisis in Ukraine and the difficulty in finding, purchasing and transporting animal feed and cereals for human consumption that was caused confirmed the correctness of our decision, since the state, using this legislation, managed, in a short period of time, to purchase and bring to Cyprus raw materials for animal feed with a total value of EUR 18 million, something that under no circumstances could the Grains Commission do, nor had it ever done.
In addition to all the above, I consider it important to mention that the implementation of the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan is continuing, as part of the EU's effort to recover the economies of the Member States affected by the pandemic. Within the framework of this Plan, Cyprus will be allocated approximately EUR 1.2 billion for investments and reforms that will benefit our economy. In fact, with the use of other resources, the total amount allocated to the Government's ambitious 'Cyprus Tomorrow' plan may exceed four billion euros, a significant part of which may be allocated to the primary sector.
I conclude my address today with the assurance that the well-meaning interests of the agricultural sector and the Cypriot farmer are at the centre of the attention of the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. I warmly thank Panagrotikos for inviting me to attend and welcome today's very important event and congratulate them for their action. I wish you every success in the work of your conference.
(EC)
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