Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to meet a delegation of livestock farmers at the prime minister’s office on Tuesday to discuss the future of the agricultural sector, government sources said. The talks will focus on long-term support, restructuring, and sustainability for livestock farming in Greece.
According to government officials, the meeting was scheduled following an earlier round of talks with farmers during a period of nationwide agricultural protests. The new meeting, however, has drawn criticism from some sector representatives who say not all groups have been included. Members of a nationwide farmers’ committee involved in past mobilizations have voiced dissatisfaction, claiming the government is unwilling to engage with them.
Government sources said the discussion will center on strategic planning for the livestock sector. Officials aim to explore how to support farmers through reorganization and policies designed to make the industry more sustainable and resilient in the coming years.
The government describes Greek livestock farming as a dynamic sector with products that can generate significant added value for both producers and exports. Officials say the goal is to rebuild the sector on “healthy foundations,” using financial tools to restore herds, enforce strict biosecurity rules, and safeguard the quality and competitiveness of Greek livestock products.
On immediate measures, government sources said a legislative regulation on agricultural diesel fuel is expected by the end of the month. The plan includes exempting farmers from paying a special consumption tax at the pump and recalculating the fuel quantities allocated per crop. A meeting with producers’ representatives on this issue is scheduled for next week, with the final regulation to be completed by month’s end.
Officials added that dozens of meetings have already taken place between the agriculture ministry and farmers’ representatives since the prime minister’s previous meeting with the sector. They cautioned that there is no quick fix for the industry’s challenges, stressing that solutions require time and targeted planning.
Meanwhile, livestock disease remains a concern. Authorities expect a potential rise in sheep and goat pox cases in the period leading up to Easter, an issue that has repeatedly appeared high on the agenda for farmers and the broader primary production sector.
Source: tovima.com
