Reduced rainfall, combined with the recent sunny days, have scorched and destroyed cereal crops in farming communities of West Nicosia.
Farmers are trying to salvage what they can, noting that “Nothing can save our cereal crops, not even the rains anymore.”
“Everything has dried up due to the drought.”
An elderly farmer, around 80 years old, adds, “This is the first time we have seen such a huge disaster. The rains that fell were minimal, and the ground shows deep cracks due to the drought.”
Andreas Alexandrou, the provincial secretary of the Panagrotikos Association of Nicosia, toured the communities of Akaki, Meniko, Peristerona, and Orunta and witnessed the devastation firsthand.
“As far as the eye can see, you see a yellow landscape. The plain presents a dreary atmosphere. Everywhere you look, there’s destruction. We will encounter such landscapes in other communities of the Nicosia Province, which we will also visit,” Alexandrou emphasized.
“We will stand by our farmers, as will the state. We know that the Ministry of Agriculture has dispatched officials and are monitoring the problem, but we urge for the affected areas by the drought to be promptly identified and instructions given to the farmers as soon as possible,” Mr. Alexandrou concluded.