Lockdown Threat Over Greek Livestock: Sheep Pox Crisis Escalates

With implicit 315,000 animals culled owed to sheep pox, Greece’s livestock assemblage is connected the brink – Authorities measurement exigency lockdown measures arsenic farmers telephone for urgent support

Crisis astatine the Gates of Greek Agriculture

Greece’s livestock manufacture is facing a terrible situation arsenic a fast-spreading outbreak of sheep pox has already led to the mass culling of implicit 315,000 animals, pushing section economies to the edge. Speaking to SKAI, Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food, Christos Kellas, confirmed that a potential lockdown connected the question of livestock remains “open and connected the table.”

Such a lockdown would apt entail extreme restrictions on the transportation of animals, feed, and adjacent dairy products, a script that experts pass would present a devastating stroke to the cultivation sector.

“Every effort is being made to debar this,” Kellas said, noting that the contented volition beryllium the taxable of a high-level exigency gathering connected Monday.

Dire Conditions successful Serres – Dozens of Farms Shut Down

In the portion of Serres, the concern is critical. According to Deputy Regional Governor Panagiotis Spyropoulos, 7,000 animals person already been culled, with another 3,000 awaiting extermination in the coming days.

More alarmingly, 50 retired of the 780 livestock units successful the portion person permanently unopen down – galore of which were tally by young, educated farmers who are present financially ruined.

Spyropoulos is opposed to a full lockdown, arguing that it would further crush the already suffering sheep and goat farming sector. He has sent a ceremonial missive to the Ministry requesting tax and security relief, and is besides urging for a frost connected indebtedness repayments, noting that galore livestock farmers are heavy indebted.

Western Achaia: Double the Damage successful Two Months

The situation is mirrored in Western Achaia, where 9,000 sheep were culled successful conscionable 2 months, treble the fig mislaid during the full erstwhile year.

According to Andreas Filias, Deputy Governor of Agricultural Development successful Western Greece, the response mechanism appeared to beryllium operating connected “autopilot,” highlighting a deficiency of structured enactment and mentation successful dealing with the outbreak.

Financial Strain and Calls for Immediate Support

The fiscal load connected farmers is immense. In summation to losing their livestock, galore now struggle to work existing loans. Spyropoulos insists that a holistic assistance package must beryllium provided – including both fiscal alleviation and indebtedness forbearance – to support the assemblage from full collapse.

Delayed Subsidies and ELGA SMS Controversy

Kellas acknowledged delays successful subsidy payments due to backlogs astatine the Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid (OPEKEPE). However, helium promised that within the adjacent 10 days, compensation for carnal provender volition statesman flowing to the affected farmers in Thessaly, who are inactive incapable to cultivate their fields aft the devastating Storm Daniel.

As for the recent controversial SMS messages sent by ELGA (the Hellenic Agricultural Insurance Organization), requesting refunds of overpaid compensation, Kellas explained that the archetypal payouts were made based connected farmers’ ain declarations, without afloat harm assessments. After authoritative checks, it was recovered that 2,600 retired of 38,000 cases received excess payments.

Farmers person the right to appeal, and immoderate amounts deemed overpaid volition beryllium repaid to the taxation authorization (AADE) successful December 2027.

A Sector connected the Brink

The epidemic has triggered a domino effect across aggregate regions, shutting down businesses, wiping retired herds, and leaving agrarian communities without income. The broader interest present is whether Greece can prevent a collapse in a assemblage already burdened by inflation, rising costs, and planetary marketplace volatility.

As wintertime approaches, the unit connected authorities to contain the disease, compensate losses, and reconstruct spot successful the system intensifies. Without swift, targeted, and well-coordinated action, the harm could beryllium long-lasting — not conscionable for livestock farming, but for the entire rural system of Greece.

Source: pagenews.gr

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