Cyprus: Lemons becoming a non-item for export
The citrus and pomegranate season is about to start for the Cypriot producer and exporter Groexport…The citrus and pomegranate season is about to start for the Cypriot producer and exporter Groexport Ltd, but when it comes to lemons, both for the company and the country as a whole, “production is very small these days and most is consumed in the local market in summer, so [the product] is disappearing as an export item,” says Director Frixos Tsakkistos.
He explains that last year, Cyprus as a whole exported less than 2,000 tonnes of lemons. "A really negligible amount compared to other items, like grapefruit and Mandora. Over the past 15 years, a lot of trees have been uprooted because of low returns.” Also, due to increased summer consumption, “many growers prefer to sell in the local market, where they obtain better prices.”
This Cypriot lemon campaign lasts between October and February, and during this period the local demand is covered. “Difficulties arrive in the summer months, from April/May to September, with shortages that have to be covered with early harvests or imports from countries like Argentina.”
In addition to the crop’s particular circumstances, Mr Taskkistos states that the country’s financial situation has also played an important role. “The state of the economy in Cyprus, with little incentives, makes it difficult for growers to think long term. We are trying to talk to growers and tell them that lemons are a good product to be involved in, but they are sceptical about doing something now to obtain returns in 7 or 8 years.”
Over the last few years, he explains that the tendency has been to plant more mandarins, and while he doesn’t describe this as necessarily negative, he says that “I would rather see a more complete approach to cover more items; lemons ensure a steady future and more consistent demand, so I’m sorry to see them disappearing,” he concludes.