Exports fall as agriculture down

DOMESTIC exports fell to £215.2 million in 1999 compared with £221.3 million in 1998, latest statistics released yesterday show.

Industrial products of domestic products exported during 1999 accounted for £167.8 million, or 81 per cent, compared with £171.1, or 80.3 per cent in 1998.

Of those, pharmaceutical products held the biggest share with £25 million, up from £20 million in 1998, while clothing accounted for £22.8 million, down from £29 million the previous year.

Footwear and cement exports were also down.

However, the export of cigarettes was up from £12 million in 1998 to £14 million last year, as was the export of alcoholic beverages from £7.6 million in 1998 to £8.5 million.

Agricultural exports continued their downward trend dropping from £40 million in 1998 to £36.5 million in 1999. Potato exports in particular dropped from £19 million to £14 million but the export of citrus fruits was up slightly from £12.7 million in 1998 to £13.8 million last year.

EU countries absorbed 52.8 per cent of Cyprus domestic exports followed by Arab countries with 25.6 per cent.

Imports continued to rise from £1.58 billion in 1998 to £1.63 billion in 1999.

Almost 53 per cent of all imports came from EU countries.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.