Following a meeting with the cooperative administration board of potato producers, Agriculture Minister Ekut Sahalli said, inter alia, that is no problem in the export of products which are produced to the appropriate standards.
Sahalli also stated that the 11 tonnes of potatoes that were turned away by Mersin port in Turkey, was not because the port was closed to Turkish Cypriot products, but because the potatoes were diseased.
Referring to the EU Green Line Regulation (GLN), Sahalli described the regulation as a very important opening. He, however, added that the regulation does not go far enough. The minister stressed the need for EU experts to carry out controls on the products that are sent to South Cyprus within the framework of the GLN.
On Thursday, Cyprus Weekly reported that three lorries from the TRNC carrying 60 tonnes of potatoes, attempted to cross the border. These were detained by South Cyprus police in cooperation with the Sovereign Bases Area Police at Dhekelia.
Last week, Minister of Economy, Industry and Commerce Sunat Atun called on the Greek Cypriot government to permit mutual trade prior to a Cyprus solution, to revive the economy on both sides.
Yeni Duzen
