Cypriot farmers rallied outside the Presidential Palace in Nicosia on Thursday as part of a pan-European mobilisation, presenting demands for climate crisis support and warning the sector faces a fight for survival.
Six agricultural organisations—PEK, EKA, Panagrotikos, New Agricultural Movement, Euroagrotikos and the Pancyprian Grain Producers Organisation—submitted a memorandum to Andreas Gregoriou, general director of the Ministry of Agriculture, on behalf of President Nikos Christodoulides. The farmers simultaneously marched to the House of Europe in Nicosia, aligning with the European confederation Copa-Cogeca in coordinated actions across the continent.
The memorandum focused on three urgent local issues requiring immediate political intervention. Producers called for activation of Measure 23 of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, citing prolonged drought and adverse weather conditions in 2025 that have exhausted farmers’ financial reserves, making emergency support imperative.
Farmers denounced record delays at the Land Registry, with lease applications for government chalky land pending for as long as ten years. They also demanded a definitive solution allowing all professional farmers, regardless of refugee status, to rent and cultivate Turkish Cypriot land. “It is a matter of national interest to cultivate every inch of land to avoid environmental disasters and fires,” the memorandum stated.
In Brussels, the farmers’ central demand is rejection of the trade agreement with Mercosur countries, which they characterised as a “historic mistake” that will destroy agricultural incomes due to lack of reciprocity in production standards.
Three pillars underpin the European demands: securing a strong Common Agricultural Policy after 2027 with a budget protected from inflation; fair trade including control of imports from Ukraine, revision of the EU-Morocco agreement and zero tariffs with the United States for basic products; and immediate postponement of fertiliser inclusion in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for 1 January 2026, as the cost is deemed unsustainable.
“Europe can no longer rely on rhetoric. We need actions, not promises,” agricultural leaders said.
Farmers warned that Thursday’s mobilisations are only the beginning if there is no substantial response to demands concerning food security for society.
Read more: