Cyprus imported €83.3m from Mercosur countries in 2024, with official data showing South America has supplied the island for years before the EU’s trade agreement.
The agreement the European Commission signed with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia focuses on reducing or eliminating tariffs on trade already happening, rather than opening new routes, according to Statistical Service figures for January to December. The 145.5m kg of imports have sparked reactions and confusion over the deal’s actual impact.
Argentina dominates with animal feed
Argentina is Cyprus’s largest Mercosur supplier by far at €64.8m—nearly 78% of total value and over 95% of total mass. A single product accounts for almost the entire import value.
The top 10 products from Argentina:
- Oil seed residues and cakes (animal feed): €63.0m
- Shelled peanuts: €801,000
- Fresh or dried lemons: €293,000
- Wines without PDO or PGI: €151,000
- Citrus juices, unfermented: €123,000
- Maize (except sowing seeds): €113,000
- Frozen poultry: €102,000
- Dried beans: €61,000
- Wines in containers over two litres: €55,000
- Steel tubes and casings: €39,000
Brazil offers greater diversity
Brazil ranks second at €15.18m with a net mass of 4.15m kg, including coffee and beverages worth €4.38m. Unlike Argentina’s concentration in a single product, Brazilian imports span agricultural products, food, raw materials and industrial goods without extreme focus on one or two categories.
Uruguay supplies almost exclusively rice
Uruguay imported €1.47m worth of goods with a net mass of 1.84m kg, with over 90% consisting of rice categories.
The top 10 products from Uruguay:
- Husked long-grain rice: €873,000
- Husked rice (other type): €197,000
- Husked rice of different qualities: €186,000
- Husked rice: €139,000
- Plywood and wood sheets: €38,000
- Plywood (other categories): €19,000
- Medical and surgical instruments: €10,000
- Pre-cooked rice: €7,000
- Coated paper and cardboard: €3,000
- Laboratory diagnostic reagents: €2,000
Paraguay and Bolivia minimal
Paraguay imported €635,000 with a net mass of 1.11m kg, mainly in agricultural products and animal feed without clear concentration in specific categories. Bolivia barely features, with imports of just €88 and 3 kg.
Deal cuts tariffs on existing trade
Cyprus already trades actively with Mercosur countries in agricultural, animal feed and consumer products. The agreement doesn’t create a framework for new imports—these are already permitted—but changes tariff structures.
Cypriot producers expect the new arrangements will affect import costs and competition between foreign and domestic products, as lower duties could bring cheaper Mercosur goods to Cyprus compared with local alternatives.
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