Cyprus

Export History

The island of Cyprus, 140 miles long and 40 miles wide, had about 15 000 acres of citrus in 1960 and a potential planting of 9000 additional acres. A small citrus exporter, Cyprus has grown some citrus fruit since the mid-fifteenth century.

From 1940 to 1965, citrus production increased from about 0.5 million boxes to almost 2 million boxes (table2-32). In the same period, citrus exports rose from 56 000 boxes to 1.5 million boxes. By 1970, Cyprus citrus production may reach 3 million boxes and exports 2 million boxes.

Cyprus has not citrus marketing board, and exporters buy fruit on the trees directly from growers or by the “thousand”. About 80 per cent of the citrus crop is exported fresh, 10 per cent is processed, and 10 per cent is processed, and 10 per cent is consumed domestically.

Approximately 70 per cent of fresh fruit exports are sold to the United Kingdom. Germany, Scandinavia, eastern Europe and the Middle East comprise the rest of the export market. Twenty packinghouses, half of them mechanized pack the export fruit.

Fresh fruit and juice exports are subject to government regulation. Fresh fruit regulations cover handling, grade packing, decay, and inspection of shipments for export. Juice regulations require a declaration of the type of juice, sugar content, and the degree of juice concentration.

Until 1950, processing was confined to essential oil of orange and lemon and preserved juices for the local soft-drink industry. In 1955, Cyprus exported over 100 000 gallons of orange and grapefruit juice and 38 000 cases of grapefruit segments (table 2-33). Of the twenty-one processing plants in operation in 1958, only four were modernized. Citrus processing can be expected to increase in Cyprus, but it will always be of limited volume.

The major citrus areas of Cyprus are at Famagusta, Morphou, Lefka, and Episkopu (fig 2-15). The climate of the island is mild and moderately humid. Average annual rainfall ranges from 11.8 inches at Morphou in the north to 17 inches at Limassol in the south, nearly all of it occurring between October and May. Mean maximum temperatures at Morphou are 61o F in January and 91 o F in July, and mean minimum temperatures are 43 o F in January and 65 o F in July.

Despite low summer rainfall, humidity is high enough for warm nights, resulting in Shamouti oranges that are still green or only breaking in colour when the fruit is ready for harvest in November.