Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Cyprus escalates as farmers plan protests
A third pig farm in the Paliometocho area, Nicosia district, has tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), bringing the total number of infected livestock units to 102. The affected pig farms hold approximately 24,000 animals, and officials have confirmed that all will be culled to contain the spread. Current data shows that 13 cattle units, 86 sheep and goat units, and three pig units are infected. So far, approximately 35,600 sheep and goats, 2,200 cattle, and all pigs in the affected units are being culled. Vaccination coverage has reached 73.8% for cattle and 60.56% for sheep and goats. Despite a meeting with Ministry of Agriculture Director General Andreas Grigoriou, livestock farmers remain dissatisfied and have scheduled protests for April 23 at the Rizoelia roundabout, with threats of blocking airports if their demand to stop the culling of healthy animals is not met. The government maintains that it is strictly following European Union regulation 2020/687, which requires culling to prevent further transmission.