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Panayiotou stresses need to tackle drought in agriculture at EU Council

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 26, 2024

Minister for Agriculture, Maria Panayiotou, talked about the effects of drought on Cyprus, as well as the measures that the EU can take to support the agricultural sector across Europe, and presented the recent joint statement by the MED9 on the issue, during the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the EU held in Brussels.

During a discussion on the state of agricultural markets in the EU, Panayiotou referred to the significant impact that a prolonged drought has had on Cyprus, resulting in significantly reduced yields for irrigated and non-irrigated crops, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment said in a press release on Wednesday.

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The Minister, the press release adds, “pointed out that, due to limited water availability in dams, water supply for agricultural purposes has been reduced by 33.7% for 2024, while the forecasts for the following years are not favourable.”

Panayiotou called on the European Commission to activate the agricultural reserve to provide support to affected farmers, but also to further simplify support measures related to water management under the Common Agricultural Policy.

During the meeting, the Minister also presented the joint statement on the impact of drought on the primary sector, which was issued by the Ministers of Agriculture of the nine Mediterranean EU Member States (MED9) during a recent meeting in Cyprus.

Panayiotou referred specifically to the need for a collective response to this phenomenon that threatens food production and the social fabric of rural areas in the EU and pointed out that the joint statement reflects the practical commitment of the Mediterranean Member States to find solutions that will allow sustainable water management and will be included in EU policies.

According to the press release, the joint communication of the MED9 received the support of other Member States, in addition to the countries that had signed it in Cyprus.

During a working lunch, Professor Peter Strohschneider presented his report on the results of the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture, which was presented in early September at a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Panayiotou said she supports the need to further target support for farmers, with a focus on small and medium-sized farms and young farmers, as mentioned in the report. She also stressed the importance of promoting new technologies and innovation in agricultural production.

She also noted that the proposal to create two funds independent of the CAP, such as the fair transition fund and the nature restoration fund, should not limit appropriations which will be available through the next CAP in the future.

The Agriculture Minister said that Cyprus agrees with the proposed reform of the agricultural reserve, pointing out the need for a more flexible crisis management framework that will provide adequate support to farmers and allow for faster and simplified procedures, adapted to local needs and specificities.

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Apple Surpasses Nvidia As Investors Reassess The True Cost Of The AI Boom

Apple Reclaims Title As World’s Most Valuable Company

Apple has overtaken Nvidia to become the world’s most valuable publicly traded company again, highlighting a shift in investor sentiment as markets reassess the costs and returns of the artificial intelligence boom.

Apple Regains The Top Spot

Apple (AAPL) ended Monday with a market capitalization of $4.95 trillion, surpassing Nvidia (NVDA), whose valuation fell 5% to $4.77 trillion. It was the first time since April 2025 that Apple closed a trading session ahead of the AI chipmaker.

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The move comes ahead of Apple’s quarterly earnings report on Thursday, which investors will closely watch for updates on the company’s AI strategy and broader business performance.

Investors Reassess AI Spending

Nvidia’s decline reflects a broader pullback in AI-related semiconductor stocks as investors increasingly scrutinize the returns on heavy infrastructure spending. The company had held the top valuation since June 2025, when it overtook Microsoft, and briefly surpassed a $5 trillion market capitalization in October.

At the same time, investor interest has broadened beyond graphics processing units to other parts of the AI supply chain, including memory and storage technologies that support expanding data center capacity. Companies such as Micron Technology (MU), SK Hynix and Sandisk (SNDK) have benefited from that shift as demand for AI-related memory and storage infrastructure continues to grow.

Apple’s Capital Strategy Draws Attention

Apple shares have gained 24% so far this year, compared with a 4% increase for Nvidia.

Investors have viewed Apple’s more measured AI spending strategy favorably. Rather than investing heavily in its own AI infrastructure, the company has relied more extensively on leased computing capacity, limiting capital expenditure while continuing to expand its AI capabilities.

The contrast comes as markets increasingly focus on how quickly large AI investments can generate sustainable financial returns.

Earnings In Focus

Apple’s earnings report could also provide an update on the impact of the global memory chip shortage, which has emerged as a growing challenge for hardware manufacturers.

The company raised prices for some Mac and iPad models in June, becoming one of the first major consumer technology companies to publicly reflect higher memory component costs.

Investors will be watching whether Apple can sustain its recent market outperformance as AI-related infrastructure costs continue to rise and supply constraints persist.