The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Mr.Petros Xenophontos, had his first meeting with the members of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources today in the presence of the Director General and the Directors of the relevant departments of the Ministry.
During the meeting, Mr. Xenophontos had the opportunity to inform the members of the Committee about the priorities set by the Government in terms of supporting the primary sector and producers, with the aim of improving competitiveness and sustainable development of the countryside. The Agriculture Minister conveyed to Members his intention to strengthen the already excellent cooperation with the House with a view to promoting legislation that will facilitate and improve the primary sector. He also thanked the representatives of agricultural organisations present at the session and conveyed his readiness to work together with them for the good of the rural world.
In his statements after the session, the Minister of Agriculture pointed out that the Ministry has set the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027 as a key objective, for which a total funding of €454 million is foreseen, with 80% coming from European funds and around 20% from national resources.
In his statements after the session, the Minister of Agriculture pointed out that the Ministry has set as a key objective the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027, for which a total funding of €454 million is foreseen, with 80% coming from European funds and around 20% from national resources.
In addition, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment referred to the creation of an electronic auction of agricultural products, with which "we will ensure better planning of production and enhance the security of transactions and timely payment to our farmers, as well as price transparency. We are also optimistic that in this way we will narrow as much as possible the price gap between the sale of the product from production and the purchase price by the consumer, thereby remedying one of the greatest injustices in the food supply and distribution chain."
Continuing, he underlined the objective set for the creation of the "Farmer's Card", for the introduction of which a study will be carried out and prepared in collaboration with credit institutions, in order to provide capital movement facility to farmers and other similar benefits.
Referring to the serious issue of the use of pesticides and antibiotics, the Minister explained that the main objective of the Ministry is to reduce their use. In this direction, he said, the aim is to create a mechanism through which the use of pesticides and antibiotics in agriculture and livestock farming will be controlled.
Xenophontos also noted that the Ministry's priorities include the control of both products produced in Cyprus and those imported, as well as those coming to the free areas through the Green Line on the basis of the relevant EU regulation.
Finally, as the Minister of Agriculture stated, high on the agenda of objectives is the promotion, through various practices, of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
(MKυ)
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