Vegetable producers said on Monday that the rise in prices is primarily down to supply shortages imposed by the persistently bad weather of the past three months.

“The weather has damaged our crops, limited our supply and by extension has driven prices up,” said president of the Vegetable Farmer’s Association, Polys Kattashis. He added that the same applied to Greek producers who are Cyprus’ main import partners.

He said he was confident that if the weather gets better the prices would drop significantly. “Maybe even by half.”

The president of the Pancyprian Organisation of Potato Producers Andreas Karyos also highlighted the weather’s knock-on effect on the supply but also stressed the increase in production costs imposed by anti-frost measures that include pouring large quantities of water over the crops during night hours.

He complained that the agriculture ministry had yet to contact the affected producers in order to record the damage sustained and take necessary action.

Adamos Kaikkis, potato producer and Famagusta district secretary of the Pancyprian Farmer’s Union said that the damage to their crops from the recent frosts combined with the rising costs of fuel, electricity, fertilisers and pesticides had placed potato producers in existential danger requiring state support.