8o NOTES ON AGRICULTURE IN CYPRUS 



The exports represent about three-fourths of the total 

 production. 



There should be a good opening for machinery for 

 extracting the oil. 



The cotton is locally graded into (i) best, (2) medium, 

 and (3) poor, all being American varieties. The first 

 quality is the " wet " or irrigated cotton. The second 

 quality is grown mostly in the Messaoria plain and at 

 Dali, Nisou, Potamia, Kythrea, where it is partly irrigated 

 by river floods. The third quality is " dry " and comes 

 principally from the Karpas. On the Marseilles market 

 the second quality has a value 3 to 4 per cent., and the 

 third quality 8 to 10 per cent, less than the first quality. 

 The first quality ranks in price at Marseilles on about a 

 level with American cotton. 



For some ten years Greece has taken the leading place 

 as an importer. Before the war, Cyprus cotton went 

 chiefly to Marseilles and Greece, some also to Trieste. 

 Only a very insignificant quantity goes to England. The 

 freight to Marseilles was about 255. per ton, to Trieste 

 about 155. per ton, while to England it averaged 505. per 

 ton. The market prices at Marseilles and Trieste were 

 approximately the same, but at Marseilles they were 

 subject to a discount of i J per cent., whereas at Trieste a 

 discount of 3 to 4 per cent, was made. The Trieste market, 

 being small, was subject to sudden fluctuations and was 

 therefore risky and less favoured by Cypriot exporters. 



For several reasons the Liverpool market has not been 

 so attractive as that of Marseilles. At Liverpool and 

 Manchester quantities of not less than, say, 100 bales are 

 preferred, whereas Marseilles would take smaller consign- 

 ments of 20 or 40 bales. Uniformity of type is required by 

 Manchester spinners, whereas the French factories are 

 more ready to handle different types, including the shorter 

 staples. Cyprus merchants make no distinction as regards 

 the varieties of cotton, whether " Orleans," " Sea Island " 

 or other kinds, and indeed they are scarcely competent to 

 do so, as this requires special knowledge and experience. 

 They buy in small quantities from many peasant growers 

 and mix the produce in order to make up a fair con- 

 signment. 



