Cyprus government standing by business community, President assures

President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides has given assurances that the Government supports the business community of Cyprus, providing tangible support to all their efforts for development and progress.

He was speaking during the 5 September inauguration of the new production and bottling unit of Alambra Fresh Milk company, located in the Industrial Area of Aradippou within the Larnaca district.

In his address, the President said that the creation of modern and technologically upgraded units is being encouraged, through the implementation of specialised support programmes, with the aim of increasing their competitiveness both in the domestic and foreign markets.

He praised the company for contributing to the upward trend of Cypriot product exports, which, despite challenges in the supply chain, amounted to €1.7 billion in 2022, an increase of approximately 14.5% compared to the previous year, 2021. Of this, €284 million are related to halloumi exports, one of Cyprus' main export products, with Alambra holding a significant share of the market, exporting PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certificate halloumi to a total of 40 countries worldwide.

Christodoulides remarked that the company provides and supports a large number of jobs directly and indirectly in the country, as it collects milk from over 400 producers operating throughout the government-controlled areas of Cyprus.

With the assistance of the state, the President said, “Our industries are required to work on strengthening their competitiveness, primarily by upgrading their technological equipment, innovating in their production processes, and creating new competitive products, both for export orientation and for replacing imported products."

Christodoulides also said that "the support and assistance of the state are substantial and tangible”, adding that Alambra Fresh Milk serves as an example since the company has been approved for a grant of half a million euros for the new state-of-the-art equipment it has installed, within the framework of the Grant Scheme of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, and Industry for the creation, modernisation and digital upgrade of processing and/or marketing units of agricultural products.

He further stated that "with a budget of approximately €25 million, this particular Scheme is being implemented within the framework of the 'Cyprus - Tomorrow' Scheme and is funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility of the European Union," adding that "already, 122 applications have been approved for a total of €21.7 million in grants".

President Christodoulides also assured that "the Government always cares and stands alongside the business community of the country, providing tangible support to all their efforts for development and progress. In this context, we encourage the creation of modern and technologically upgraded units, implementing specialised support programmes, with the aim of increasing their competitiveness both in the domestic and foreign market."

(Source: CNA)