EXPORTS OF CYPRUS CITRUS

Article number

365_4

Pages

49 – 56

Language

Abstract

Citrus is the second most important export crop of Cyprus after potatoes.
In 1991 the total export earnings from citrus amounted to £20 m. as compared to £28 m. from potatoes, £5 m. from grapes and £3.5 m. from a large number of fresh vegetables such as coriander, parsley, spinach, cucumbers, aubergines, okra, tomatoes etc. all exported by air (ANNEX I).
The main citrus exported from Cyprus are grapefruit, lemons and oranges.
In the 1991–1992 season grapefruit represented 46 per cent of total citrus exports, lemons 29 per cent and oranges 20 per cent.
Mandora and tangelo minneola whose exports are increasing represented 4.6 per cent of total citrus exports (ANNEX II).
The main market for Cyprus is the E.C. although its share appears to be decreasing with the emergence of the free enterprise systems in the ex-socialist countries.
In the 1987–88 season for example the E.C. imported 77.8 per cent of the total Cyprus citrus exports, and other European countries which of course included the ten socialist countries imported 19.4 percent.
In the 1991–92 season, however, the E.C. imported 65.0 per cent and the other European countries 34.5 per cent (ANNEX III and ANNEX IV).
Within the E.C. the U.K. is by far the major market, but its share is decreasing.
The U.K. is followed by Italy, which imports only grapefruit from Cyprus, Germany, France and the Netherlands.
In the 1987–88 season for example the U.K. imported 53.7 per cent of total Cyprus citrus exports whereas in the 1991–92 season its share had fallen to 38.2 per cent (ANNEX III and ANNEX IV).
Other major european markets for Cyprus citrus are Czechoslovakia, Austria and Poland.
As it is well known the markets of the exsocialist countries are extremely volatile and the relative positioning of the markets if likely to change (ANNEX III and ANNEX IV).
Ninety seven percent of citrus exports is effected by 12 exporting companies of which the Co-Operative Marketing Union (SEDIGEP) handles the greatest percentage.
In the 1991–92 season SEDIGEP handles 30 per cent of total exports.
The average tonnage exported by each firm exporting over 2,000 tons was 8,600 tons (ANNEX V).