2020 Cyprus Country Report

Agriculture & Food
Sector Profile
ucts constituting around 40% of total raw agricultural
products. They get their winning flavour
from the distinctive potassium-rich red soil of
Cyprus. Around 96% of potato exports are to the
EU, with main markets being Greece, the UK and
Germany.
Today, there is less cultivation of various
types of citrus fruit. Exports of these were hit
around a decade ago after the EU reduced tariffs
on imports of citrus from third countries in the
Mediterranean such as Morocco, Egypt and
Turkey – where labour costs are far lower and
production volume significantly greater. Farmers
dedicated to citrus were encouraged to shift to varieties
that perform well in export markets, such
as the tango orange and lemons. Government incentives
are also in place to substitute citrus trees,
which require a lot of irrigation and expensive
pesticides, with hardy crops that naturally thrive
in dry climates, such as vitamin-rich fruit like
pomegranates and prickly pears. The medicinal
oil from the seeds of prickly pears can sell for up
to €40,000 a litre, proving that developing these
types of fruit can be a highly specialised and lucrative
business. In addition, aloe vera cultivation
holds much potential in making beverages, skin
lotions and cosmetics.
Demand for such products in niche export
markets is steadily rising because of the increased
interest in well-sourced, nutritious food and the
growth of European vegetarian and vegan communities.
Cyprus has a clear advantage as many
of these foods come from hardy plants that thrive
in Cyprus’ climate and wider cultivation of such
crops will help to address the challenge of water
scarcity. Farmers have enjoyed greater water security
in recent years thanks to the latest desalination
and recycling technology. Also, many of
these crops do not require large land holdings,
which again suits Cyprus where around 90% of
holdings are under five acres and most farms are
owned and run by individual families.
For centuries, olive oil has been hailed for its
health benefits and one Cypriot farm has taken
cultivation to the next level, garnering worldwide
attention for its oil. The positive effects come from
the number of phenolic compounds, and Atsas
olive oil has by far the highest number of these
compounds ever recorded worldwide. The oil,
which is exported to Russia, Canada and the US,
has attracted the attention of the scientific world
who are researching the benefits of high phenolic
olive oil in lowering cholesterol and combatting
cancer. California’s UC Davis research institute is
now running clinical tests in the anti-inflammatory
effects of the oil, and the University of Athens
school of pharmacology started clinical tests on
Alzheimer’s. More recently, the prestigious Yale
University announced its interest in researching
the Cypriot oil. The philosophy of the organically
certified Atsas farm is to use agroecology
design to create agricultural systems which have
the diversity, stability and resilience of a natural
ecosystem. The idea is part of the new regenerative
agriculture movement which is gathering momentum
around the world, and the Cyprus- olive
oil producer is a pioneer in the field.
Innovation has helped revitalise traditional
minor crops, or ones that were set aside by the
advent of high-intensity cropping systems.
For instance, a current joint effort spearheaded
by the University of Cyprus (UCY), the
Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) and the
Central Chemistry Laboratory, is screening the
indigenous carob genetic resources and developing
food, beverages and medicinal products
of high added value. Once dubbed ‘black gold’,
but gradually abandoned over the decades,
carobs are making a strong comeback. Under the
UCY project, 6,000 carob trees were planted in
November 2017, with another 34,000 to follow
on land leased from the forestry department
in Orites, Paphos, for what will be the island’s
biggest organic carob plantation.
52 Country Report CYPRUS 2020