Farmers in Nicosia drove tractors through city streets disrupting traffic on Thursday as they stepped up their protest against soaring costs, bureaucracy and cheap competition from outside the European Union.
Starting from the GSP stadium area, pausing briefly at the Presidential Palace, before moving towards the House of Europe in Nicosia, the demonstrators voiced their frustrations with slogans like “patience has ended” and “I love the world, I love Cyprus, that’s why I will continue to produce Cypriot products!”
Moving with 70 tractors, 20 double cabins, and three trucks, they stopped at the House of Europe, where they submitted a memorandum, intended for Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
The document highlights the farmers’ grievances and demands, particularly focusing on the new directions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which they claim are “unilateral and increase production costs.”
The memorandum criticises the CAP for “hurting healthy competition and worsening price levels for agricultural products,” especially in the wake of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict.
It stresses the adverse effects on farmers due to the rising costs of raw materials, energy, oil, and agricultural equipment, which have “doubled, if not tripled,” putting significant financial strain on the agricultural sector.
Furthermore, the letter addresses the import of products from third countries at “humiliating prices,” which impacts local farming and the broader economy of the European Union (EU).
The farmers argue that other policies, such as the continuous rise in interest rates and the EU’s involvement in unrelated issues, exacerbate their difficulties.
Many of the farmers’ frustration lies with the EU’s push towards a green transition. The memorandum states that this effort, while noble, is “reckless” and “almost unilateral,” given that “Europe’s contribution to atmospheric pollutant production is only less than 10% of global environmental pollution.”
The farmers feel that the green transition was “almost doomed to fail” from the start, as the agricultural community was not prepared for such a drastic shift.
In their letter, the farmers express their willingness to engage in efforts to improve the environment and living conditions but call for “proper planning, adequate funding, and at times when the recipients, whether farmers or other citizens can follow and prepare accordingly.” They deem it “inconceivable” for European farmers to bear the cost of reforms that require significant capital and investments without adequate support.
The farmers through the organisations representing them, have previously proposed to von der Leyen to postpone the new CAP policies, citing concerns that the green transition and “Farm to Fork Strategy” are impractical and could lead to the decline of agricultural businesses. They also highlight the challenges posed by the “Plant Protection” regulation and the “Green Taxation,” which they say would be “unbearable for the farmer.”
The memorandum concludes with a call to action, urging the EU Commission to reconsider its approach and engage in a “structured dialogue with the European Agricultural Movement,” focusing on ensuring food security and simplifying the CAP to make it more applicable and less burdensome for farmers.
The farmers’ message is: “What our Farmers demand is genuine financial support and measures targeting greater development and real improvement in their living standards.”
Farmers across the EU claim the rules to protect the environment make them less competitive than farmers in other regions. They also say taxes and red tape choke them.
Large amounts of imports from Ukraine, for which the EU has waived quotas and duties since Russia’s invasion, and renewed negotiations to conclude a trade deal between the EU and South American bloc Mercosur have fanned discontent about unfair competition.
Read more:
