-
.
- Ελληνικά
Dear guests,
Dear friends,
It is with great pleasure that I inaugurate the Vine and Wine Sector Advisory Services Centre in the picturesque community of Vouniou, which is part of the "Limassol Krasochoria". With my presence here today, I would like to emphasize that holding events aimed at promoting the rich viticultural tradition of our country is of great importance. Events such as today's contribute to the creation of a promising climate for the place by highlighting everyone's interest in keeping the Cypriot countryside alive and creating further prospects for the future of our mountainous areas, most of which are vineyards.
Vouni, which means small mountain, appears already in medieval times on Venetian maps. The location and altitude where it is built has been an important centre in the wine sector over time and not by chance, since the arable land was mainly covered by vineyards. Although in recent decades vine cultivation and wine production in the area has been restricted, Vouni still has its own special importance for the wine sector, but also for the place in general, maintaining attractions such as the Old Primary School, the Olive Mill, the Museum of Folk Art, Havouza, the Byzantine Museum, the Old Fountain, and today, the newly established Vineyard Sector Advisory Services Centre.
The Vineyard Advisory Services Centre aims to play an important educational role for all those involved in viticulture and wine production by promoting the local character and importance of the "Limassol Wine Field". As you may all be aware, approved winemakers operating within this traditional geographical area of Cyprus have the right to produce wine with the homonymous protected designation of origin (PDO) "Krasochoria Limassol".
It is therefore no coincidence that today at this Centre the results of an innovative project entitled "OenoWatch" are presented, which utilises cutting-edge technology and falls within the scope of the application of precision agriculture in viticulture. As will be explained by the project team, the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) equipped with multispectral sensors collecting remote sensing indicators aims at precision plant protection of vineyards. By applying plant protection interventions at the precise stage needed, the environmental burden is reduced, while protecting the ecosystem and biodiversity, achieving high quality grapes and wine production and safeguarding the health of vine growers and consumers.
Everything I have mentioned is fully aligned with the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2023 -2027.
Everything I have mentioned is fully aligned with the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2023 -2027. The "Tangible and Intangible Investments in Innovation" are included in the package of Interventions of financial support to the wine sector. The aim is to develop innovative products, processes and production technologies as well as other investments that add value to the supply chain.
In this context, I am pleased to announce that by the end of January 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the Cyprus Rural Payments Agency will jointly launch this Intervention with beneficiaries being the approved winemakers. The Research and Development Centres may participate in the action carried out by these beneficiaries. The total EU support for the implementation of the Intervention amounts to €595,000 for the whole programming period. There is also a possibility to increase this amount depending on the interest shown.
Dear friends,
My presence at today's event confirms the importance that the Nicos Christodoulides Government attaches to the highly sensitive wine sector and symbolizes the exceptional priority it attaches to the preservation and further development of the country's wine regions. In particular, as the responsible Ministry, we fully understand that the success of the wine sector is related to the continuous and major challenges which must be tackled drastically. Therefore, for the current period up to 2027, the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy will allocate through the Interventions of the wine sector more than €22 million to vine growers and winemakers.
With these few thoughts, I congratulate the co-organizers of the event for the efforts and initiatives they are undertaking in order to advance this important community of our country. I stress once again that for the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment the protection, promotion and promotion of the wine sector and traditional products is a strategic choice.
Thank you.
(MGS/KK/MS)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
