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Cyprus Farmers Push For Stricter Controls Amid Aftodi Fever Outbreak

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 25, 2026

Cyprus’ livestock sector is rallying for immediate and coordinated action to prevent an escalating outbreak of aftodi fever, a highly contagious disease threatening cattle, sheep, and goat farms throughout the island.

Unified Call For Enhanced Veterinary Measures

Representatives of cattle, sheep, and goat farmers are calling for updated island-wide protocols. Kostas Konstantinou, Vice President of the Goat and Sheep Breeders Group “O Poimenas” and member of the Coordinating Committee of Livestock Groups, said Veterinary Services should introduce revised measures without regional differences to limit further spread of the disease.

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Learning From European Best Practices

Drawing parallels with strict protocols adopted by several European nations, Mr Konstantinou noted that countries that implemented stringent measures managed to contain the outbreak within three months, limiting its spread to a radius of 10-20 kilometres. His message is clear: only with uncompromising actions can further transmission be prevented, thereby safeguarding both animal life and the economic well-being of the livestock sector.

Reinforcing Protocols And Accountability

Nikolaos Papakyriakou, General Director of the Pan-Cypriot Livestock Association, stressed the need for immediate compensation mechanisms for affected farms. He added that Veterinary Services and law enforcement must strictly control human and vehicle access to affected areas. Producers have also received updated guidance aimed at improving early detection and response.

Economy At Risk And A Call For Presidential Intervention

Pan-Cypriot Livestock Association Secretary General Panikos Champas warned that failure to contain the outbreak could significantly impact the national economy, noting that livestock products such as halloumi generate more than €400 million in annual revenue. He also cautioned that large-scale livestock losses could affect employment and called for emergency measures similar to those implemented during the 2007 outbreak.

Maintaining Strict Operational Controls

Industry representatives, including Kyriakos Kailas, President of the Pan-Grocers Association, support immediate containment actions, including targeted disinfection and quarantine measures. Current restrictions already include limits on animal and feed movement, with stakeholders warning that delayed action could worsen the situation.

As Veterinary Services intensify monitoring, livestock groups say consistent enforcement and coordinated action remain essential to preventing wider spread.

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Cyprus Fuel Prices Jump 20.5% As Energy Costs Rise Across The EU

Cyprus recorded a 20.5% year-on-year increase in the prices of fuels and lubricants for personal transport in May 2026, according to Eurostat data released on Monday.

The increase was broadly in line with the European Union average of 20.7%, with fuel and lubricant prices rising across all EU member states during the period.

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Cyprus Tracks The EU Average

Among EU countries, the largest annual increases were recorded in Bulgaria (33.9%), Luxembourg (32.2%), Lithuania (30.8%) and Romania (30.4%). At the other end of the scale, Hungary registered the smallest increase at 3.5%, while annual growth ranged from 12.7% in Poland to 29.2% in France across the remaining member states.

Eurostat noted that fuel and lubricant prices generally declined across the EU until February 2026 before moving higher in subsequent months.

Diesel And Petrol Follow Different Paths

Across the European Union, diesel prices increased by 29% in May 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier, while petrol prices rose by 16.2%. Monthly trends, however, were more mixed. Between April and May 2026, diesel prices across the EU fell by 5.8%, whereas petrol prices increased by 0.8%.

In Cyprus, diesel prices declined by 1.5% over the same period. Although lower than in April, the decrease was less pronounced than in Germany (-11.9%), Greece (-8.5%), Estonia (-8.4%) and Ireland (-8.1%).

Petrol prices moved in the opposite direction, rising by 2.1% between April and May. A similar pattern was observed across much of the EU, with 23 member states reporting monthly increases. Italy recorded the largest monthly rise in petrol prices at 6.9%, while decreases were reported in Germany (-5.6%), Ireland (-2.0%) and Sweden (-0.7%).