CYPRUS: Farmers in the north take to the streets over milk prices

Tens of litres of milk were spilt on roads in north Nicosia, on the second day of demonstrations by Turkish Cypriot farmers and animal breeders.

Farmers and livestock breeders are demonstrating over the high price they are paying for barley and the low price they are ‘forced to sell their milk’ to a body under public control.

Farmers claiming that the Turkish Cypriot ruling coalition is ‘not taking enough measures to support them’ tried to enter Nicosia with their tractors to protest in front of the Agriculture office with Turkish Cypriot police cutting them off at a roundabout before the airport at Tymbou (Ercan).

The head of the farmer’s union, Mustafa Naimogullari said livestock breeders will not step down until the authorities accept their demands. He complained that with the increase in the price of barley and the price they are forced to sell their milk to the "co-operative milk organisation", producers have reached the point of bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, farmers have left their tractors at the point where they were stopped by the police, preventing the free flow of traffic to and from the airport.

Naimogullari, said that people should blame the police for any inconvenience as it was the officers who had cut them off. According to reports, passengers were seen walking the distance from the said point to the airport.

Naimogullari warned of further action adding that the authorities “may sleep tonight under the protection of the security forces, but if the price of barley does not drop, and the price of milk does not increase, then the farmers will take decisive action”.

For now, the farmers are waiting for the authorities to come up with a solution.