Farmers, cheese-makers leave talks empty-handed

Livestock farmers and food producers from the land of Lesvos walked retired of an exigency authorities gathering connected Friday, furious implicit vague assurances arsenic a foot-and-mouth illness situation entered its 2nd period with nary wide resolution.

Representatives of some groups had traveled to Athens to conscionable with Agriculture Minister Margaritis Schinas, but near the Agriculture Ministry empty-handed. The island’s larboard blockade will continue, farmers announced, until factual support measures are enacted.

“I near my large wife to tend the sheep so I could travel to Athens and perceive thing but ‘we will,'” 1 departing husbandman said. The ministry announced compensation of up to €8 cardinal for beverage delivered earlier April 4, and pledged aboriginal payments for carnal provender and farmers forced to slaughter infected livestock.

A program for partial organisation of aged cheeses – those stored astatine slightest two months – under strict biosecurity conditions is besides being prepared, with a team of 10 veterinarians to oversee implementation connected the island.

But food producers refused to resume beverage collection, and with nary coordinated program for managing undelivered milk, galore farmers person resorted to digging pits and dumping it.

All livestock connected Lesvos – astir 3,500 farms – indispensable stay confined to forestall further spread. Farmers noted the obvious: animals necessitate regular feeding and cannot simply stop producing beverage connected command. A situation absorption team is expected to deploy to the land within days.