Cyprus faces long road to recovery from foot-and-mouth disease

The European Union has extended restrictions related to foot-and-mouth disease in Cyprus until June 15. Petros Kailas, president of the Pancyprian Pig Farmers Association, stated on Wednesday that full restoration of animal trade depends on a three-month waiting period after the slaughter or death of the last vaccinated animal. Currently, farmers continue to vaccinate livestock, which complicates the timeline for achieving disease-free status. According to Kailas, the best-case scenario for declaring the country free of the virus is four to five years, as vaccinated animals remain in the production cycle. In a worse-case scenario, the use of vaccines may become a long-term requirement. Furthermore, reports indicate that new cases of the virus are still being detected. The association is seeking a meeting with the President of the Republic to discuss the implications of current culling policies.