Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak impacts Lesvos agricultural sector

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease on the island of Lesvos has caused significant disruptions, leading to the closure of local cheese factories and food shortages. The virus, which reportedly entered from Turkey where it is endemic, has put an agricultural market valued at over 200 million euros at risk. One month after the first case was detected, stakeholders including farmers, cheese producers, and local officials met with Minister Margaritis Schinas and Deputy Minister Makarios Lazaridis. The government discussed legislative initiatives for compensation, new containment tools, and expedited procurement, though no final decisions were immediately released. To bolster clinical monitoring, 10 veterinarians from ELGO-DIMITRA and 16 military veterinarians from the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (GEETHA) have been deployed. While the government has activated an 8-million-euro de minimis support package, local producers have expressed dissatisfaction with the current scale and management of the crisis. Protests have occurred at the port as residents demand more decisive action from the Ministry of Rural Development.