Nicosia, Cyprus. The value of goods sold southwards over the Green Line fell by over €1 million last year compared to 2024, according to statistics published on Tuesday by the Turkish Cypriot chamber of commerce. Total sales southwards were €13.9m, down from €15.1m, a fall of eight per cent.
Overall figures
The chamber’s statistics showed €13.9m worth of goods sold southwards last year, compared to €15.1m in 2024.
Construction materials
Construction materials recorded a 32-per-cent reduction in value sold southwards last year compared to 2024. A little over €1.5m worth of construction materials were sold southwards last year, compared with more than €2.2m in 2024.
One factor cited was a decline in aluminium products sold southwards. In 2024, over €662,000 worth of aluminium products, including window frames and doors, were sold, falling to €40,795 last year.
Sales of electrical cables and panels also fell by almost 80 per cent, from more than €257,000 in 2024 to a little over €52,000 last year.
Fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetable exports southwards dropped by 97 per cent in value. Almost €850,000 worth of fruit and vegetables were sold southwards in 2024, compared with €27,840 last year.
The value of citrus fruit sales fell from more than half a million euros in 2024 to €3,780 worth of lemons last year. Non-citrus exports were led by cherry tomatoes worth €18,630, down from more than €46,000 in 2024, alongside €3,005 worth of strawberries and €875 worth of watermelons. Watermelons sold southwards in 2024 had amounted to more than €30,000.
What do you think is driving the steep declines in construction materials and fruit and vegetable sales across the Green Line?