‘Organic farming at 8 per cent in Cyprus’

Cultivated organic areas in Cyprus are 8 per cent of the land, up from 0.22 per cent 21 years ago, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said on Saturday.

She added that the sector has made significant steps in the past ten years.

Speaking at the 2nd Annual Organic Farming Festival, at the Old Port of Limassol, the minister said that the organic production is a cornerstone of the EU Green Deal.

She said that this is a sustainable food production system that helps strengthen farmers’ efforts to tackle climate change, protect the environment and preserve biodiversity.

Panayiotou added that in 2003 there were only 85 organic farmers on the island and now their number has reached 1,600.

She also went on to say that organic production is high in the priorities of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027.  

The minister also referred to the EU Farm to Fork strategy which encourages the transition from conventional to organic production and supports the demand for organic products in the market.

She said that the national action plan for Cyprus includes 16 targeted actions aimed at strengthening the biological agriculture and the goal is to convert 10 per cent of arable land to organic by 2030.