Serious accusations about the pricing of perishable goods were made on Protoselido by Giorgos Ttakas, spokesperson for the Paralimni branch of the Cyprus Farmers’ Association (ΣΕΔΙΓΕΠ).
Specifically, he stated:
“A farmer needs four months to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse. By the time harvest season arrives, the production cost of a tomato is around €1 to €1.20 per kilo. But in the end, the farmer is paid just 15 cents. How can that farmer survive when the consumer is paying €2.30 per kilo?”
He added:
“Tomorrow, they might buy the tomato for 5 cents — and you’ll still pay at least €1.50 for it.”
As for cucumbers, he noted that farmers receive €2 for 13 kilos, despite production costs being between €0.60 and €0.70 per kilo.
He accused the system of driving Cyprus’ farming community to the brink of collapse, and added:
“We’re importing fruit and vegetables from abroad that are sprayed with chemicals like Lannate and don’t meet EU specifications.”
