The implementation of four new permanent desalination plants in eastern Limassol, Ayia Thekla, Polis Chrysochous and Dhekelia is underway, following a Cabinet decision on 2 September, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Minister Christos Senekis has said. The four plants will have a combined production capacity of 180,000 cubic metres of water per day.
Speaking at the Olive Festival in Anglisides village in the Larnaca district on 12 September, Senekis said the improved hydrological situation in 2026 had enabled the Government to revise its initial water allocations. Following a Council of Ministers decision last June, an additional 3.5 million cubic metres of water were made available for irrigation, including the Southern Conveyor Project.
"Our aim is to reduce dependence on rainfall and strengthen water security," Senekis said, noting that a programme of projects worth more than €200 million is being implemented for the 2024–2030 period. The programme includes desalination projects, greater use of reclaimed water, measures to reduce water losses and upgrades to water supply networks.
Senekis also said the Ministry was working towards a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector, with the 2023–2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), backed by total funding of €454 million, serving as a key instrument in this effort.
He said the strong interest in investment measures and support for the establishment of young farmers, with applications for subsidies totalling approximately €210 million, demonstrated a willingness to invest in and modernise Cyprus' agricultural sector.
Senekis added that, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and interested banking institutions, a new financial instrument for the agricultural sector had been developed to facilitate farmers' access to financing on more favourable terms.
Referring to the next Common Agricultural Policy, Senekis said an open consultation with the farming community will begin on 8 October, with the aim of ensuring that the next CAP addresses the actual needs of Cyprus' agricultural sector.
(Source: CNA)
