PASOK in Parliament: Letter from livestock farmers regarding the outbreak of sheep and goat pox in Xanthi

On November 16, 2024, Manolis Chnaris, a Member of Parliament from Rethymno and head of the PASOK-KINAL Agricultural Development and Food Department, submitted a letter from the Livestock Farmers' Association of Goats and Sheep in Xanthi to the Greek Parliament. The letter expresses the concerns of livestock farmers regarding the rapid spread of sheep and goat pox in the region.

The letter highlights the following points:

The livestock farmers of Xanthi are extremely worried about the current situation, which has worsened due to the swift spread of the disease. They reference the 2013-14 outbreak, which led to the loss of approximately 17,500 animals. Despite a decade passing, the insufficient measures from the government and the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Region have resulted in a similar crisis.
The lack of necessary preventative measures, such as trenches, has left the farmers vulnerable to imported livestock diseases.
Over the past 20 days, approximately five animals per day have had to be culled, creating a severe economic burden on the farmers, affecting both the regional economy and food security.
The farmers have made the following demands in their letter:

Construction of additional trenches and other preventative infrastructure,
Recruitment of more veterinarians for timely intervention and prevention,
Immediate compensation for affected farmers, covering both the lost livestock and the financial damages, without bureaucratic obstacles related to insurance and tax matters.
Given the legitimate and reasonable nature of these demands, the letter requests the immediate initiation of necessary actions and updates to be provided to the Parliament.