The complete restoration of the desalination unit in Kouklia, with a capacity of 15,000 thousand cubic metres per day, is expected within August, Andreas Gregoriou, director general of the ministry of agriculture said on Thursday.

The Kouklia plant had been destroyed by fire last December.

He also said in statements to the Cyprus News Agency that the contract for the operation of the mobile unit in the Kissonerga area, with a capacity of 10 ,000 cubic per day, had been awarded.

This should be up and running in September.

Gregoriou said that in the same area in Kissonerga, two small mobile units would be installed to provide an additional 2,000 cubic metres as soon as possible, before the end of the summer, as well as another mobile unit that came from the United Arab Emirates that will be installed in the Ha-Potami area with a capacity of 1,350 cubic metres per day.

Regarding irrigation water, Gregoriou announced that on Friday there will be a meeting with banana farmers in Nicosia. He did not foresee any problems with irrigation supplies.

However, according to CNA, Akamas Mayor Marinos Lambrou described the situation with irrigation water as “tragic”.

Lambrou said that many farms, whether of bananas or other trees, mainly avocado, were withering and there was no water supply.

He said farmers irrigate a maximum of twice a week, noting that if this situation continues, there would be no agriculture in the areas of Peyia and Kissonerga. As for drinking water, Lambrou said that there was no problem so far and no cuts were on the cards.