Uetrange growers congregated at a key roundabout in Morphou, Cyprus, dispersing hundreds of oranges and igniting a fire to voice their frustration with the citrus sector's challenges. The demonstration, held adjacent to the local bus station, underscored the dire straits facing the region's citrus production, a cornerstone of Morphou's economy and its primary export.
Ahmet Hasturk, the head of the Citrus Exporters' Association, highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, "citrus production is an important source of income and the leading export item in the Morphou region." He pinpointed the root of the unrest to the plummeting demand for mandoras, a unique hybrid fruit endemic to Cyprus, attributed to the competitive pricing of Turkish citrus products. This competition has halved the wholesale price of mandoras within a year, plunging the sector into a "painful" period. Hasturk also drew attention to the widespread issue of citrus greening disease, further exacerbating the industry's woes.
Source: cyprus-mail.com