80% of Famagusta district potato crop has been destroyed by the latest storms, according to the Cyprus News Agency. President of the Pancyprian Potato Growers Association, Andreas Karios, who visited affected fields in Avgorou said that “the rains have affected the winter crop, as well as the one planted 1,5 month ago.”
“There is now a great chance we will not be planting potatoes before February 10 as we normally do because 80% of our crop is exported to counties that want potatoes when they don’t have their own.”
Asked what happens next for potato growers, Karios said that the damage needs to be managed and, given that state support is also received, they will wait for next year to plant again.
“After last year’s disaster, we took measures that mitigated much of the damage this year. However, we were taken advantage of by insurance employees who did not record the damages and we were left exposed,” he added, expressing the hope that appraisers will be more compassionate to growers this year.
