A new Eurostat report shows 44.6 per cent of farm managers in Cyprus are 65 years and older. Just 3.3 per cent are under 40. The country also has an extremely high number of small farms under five hectares, 89.6 per cent....
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Cypriot farmers likely to struggle to meet new EU conditions
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Paphos Life
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- Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2017 9:20 am
Re: Cypriot farmers likely to struggle to meet new EU conditions
Yes, I think that many farmers at least in the area north of Paphos are getting elderly. There are a lot of small farms in these villages, growing Carobs, grapes,fruit, nuts and a little wheat. There are also still a few flocks of mainly goats. But even the shepherds are looking elderly.
It seems as if the younger Cypriots have lost interest in working the land. It is hard work, long hours and hard to make money. They prefer to leave their villages and move to the towns in search of office, shop and jobs in Hotels or in tourism. That’s the young people who haven’t left the island to attend universities elsewhere and may not return here to work. At least until they are nearing retirement and have already made some money!
If young people are to be encouraged to go into farming the EU msy be able to help them with financial incentives and training perhaps. But not in a way that makes small farms completely uneconomic to run.
Dee
Dee
It seems as if the younger Cypriots have lost interest in working the land. It is hard work, long hours and hard to make money. They prefer to leave their villages and move to the towns in search of office, shop and jobs in Hotels or in tourism. That’s the young people who haven’t left the island to attend universities elsewhere and may not return here to work. At least until they are nearing retirement and have already made some money!
If young people are to be encouraged to go into farming the EU msy be able to help them with financial incentives and training perhaps. But not in a way that makes small farms completely uneconomic to run.
Dee
Dee
