A total of €7.5 million worth of grants has been allocated for young farmers starting their career in the industry, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said on Thursday.

Addressing the monitoring committee of the European Union’s rural development programme in Cyprus, she said that as part of a “major investment measure” devised under the EU’s common agricultural policy, a total of €67.5m has been made available to support the sector in Cyprus.

This large investment plan, she said, “was formed on the basis of the results of a broad consultation with agricultural organisations and production sectors, as well as with our farmers themselves”.

She also announced that the government is doubling the amount of aid provided for the management of livestock waste, from €400,000 to €800,000.

In addition, she said, the electricity authority (EAC) is to create a “special facility” for farmers who wish to apply for the installation of solar panels which are connected to the grid.

This “facility” will consist of an 80 per cent subsidy of the installation cost and will not require an advance payment, given that it will be paid for by the EAC.