Cabinet approves emergency schemes covering diesel and fertiliser price rises linked to Middle East crisis, with applications opening in November
The Cypriot government has approved €1.5m in emergency financial support for farmers and agricultural businesses struggling with the rising cost of fuel and fertiliser, in the latest measure aimed at cushioning the impact of the Middle East crisis on the sector.
The Council of Ministers approved two schemes, put forward by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, worth a combined €1,501,200. Both are funded entirely by the European Union under an EU implementing regulation that provides emergency financial support to Cyprus for farmers facing economic difficulties linked to the crisis.
The first scheme, worth up to €800,000, will help cover the rising cost of “marked” agricultural diesel purchased by professional farmers and agricultural businesses between 1 April and 31 October 2026. Support will be capped at €0.126 per litre, with individual payments ranging from a minimum of €100 to a maximum of €5,000 per beneficiary.
The second scheme, worth up to €701,200, will support the rising cost of fertiliser purchases made between 1 June and 31 October 2026. Support will cover 15% of the eligible value of invoices, excluding VAT, again subject to a minimum payment of €100 and a maximum of €5,000 per beneficiary.
Both schemes are open to professional farmers and agricultural businesses that meet the relevant eligibility criteria, with payments to be made through the Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organisation. Applicants for the fuel scheme must hold a licence to use marked diesel and have received fuel during the eligible period, while applicants for the fertiliser scheme must be registered in the relevant categories of the Farmers and Agricultural Holdings Register and submit paid invoices for their purchases.
Applications will be accepted between 2 and 16 November 2026, with full details to be published when the schemes are formally launched. The ministry said that if total claims exceeded the available budget, support would be reduced proportionally across all beneficiaries.
The new measures follow a package of support announced in March 2026 to address the impact of the energy crisis and rising production costs, which included funding to cover 15% of fertiliser and agricultural input costs for April and May 2026. The government said it would continue to draw on available national and European tools to support farmers and limit the impact of rising production costs.
