Larnaca EOA president calls for strategic planning to address foot-and-mouth disease

Angelos Hatzicharalambous, President of the Larnaca District Self-Government Organization (EOA), has called for a comprehensive strategic plan to save the primary sector from the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. He emphasized the need to move away from the practice of culling entire herds when cases are detected, suggesting instead that only animals testing positive for the virus should be euthanized. Hatzicharalambous stated that EOA staff and equipment are fully available to assist the Ministry of Agriculture in efforts to contain the virus. He criticized the current lack of a structured national plan, noting that farmers are facing a desperate situation without clear guidance for the future. Beyond the veterinary crisis, he linked the local economic instability to broader international geopolitical tensions, specifically mentioning the conflict involving Iran. He warned that if the outbreak continues to spread to other livestock units, the economic consequences for the region could worsen significantly. The official underscored the necessity of protecting the primary sector as a vital national asset.