Cypriot Agriculture Minister visits Israel

Î’ilateral cooperation was examined on Monday during a meeting in Israel between Cyprus Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Minister Photis Photiou and Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Shalom Simhon.

In statements to CNA, Photiou said he proposed to Simhon the convening of a meeting of all Mediterranean agriculture ministers, including EU agriculture ministers whose countries border the Mediterranean, to set out a common strategy.

One of the issues which they examined is the practice of stopping cultivation of the land, something that takes place every seven years in Israel. “We have asked them to give priority to the import of our agricultural products”, said Photiou, adding that the Israelis have every “good intention to do so and to cooperate”.

He said they examined the water shortage issue and desalination plants as well as cooperation between Israel and Cyprus to help Israeli companies participate in tenders for desalination plants in Cyprus.

Photiou said that they discussed cooperation on research programmes between the Institute of Agricultural Research of the two countries.

According to Photiou, the Israelis have asked Cyprus to provide assistance in the fisheries sector and they talked about forest management, noting that Israel maintains a very good system.

Photiou, who returns to Cyprus on Tuesday morning, has a scheduled meeting on Monday with Gideon Ezra, Minister of the Environment.