Filenews 27 January 2026
The debate on the trade agreement signed by the Commission with the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia) has caused reactions and confusion.
Official data show that Cyprus has been importing products from the countries that make up Mercosur for years, with the new agreement primarily concerned with the reduction or elimination of tariffs and not the start of imports, since they are already taking place.
Based on the Foreign Trade Statistics of the Statistical Service for the period January-December 2024, Cyprus' total imports from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia amounted to €83.3 million, with the total net mass exceeding 145.5 million kg.
Argentina: The main supplier
Argentina is by far the largest supplier to Cyprus among the Mercosur countries. Imports from the country amounted to €64.8 million, with a net mass of 139.3 million kilograms, accounting for almost 78% of the total value and over 95% of the total mass.
Top 10 main products imported from Argentina:
⦁ Oilseed residues and pies (animal feed): €63.0 million
⦁ Shelled peanuts: €801,000
⦁ Fresh or dried lemons: €293,000
⦁ Wines without PDO or PGI: €151,000
⦁ Citrus juices, unfermented: €123,000
⦁ Corn (excluding seeds): €113,000
⦁ Frozen poultry: €102,000
⦁ Dry beans: €61,000
⦁ Wines in containers over two liters: €55,000
⦁ Steel pipes and casings: €39,000
The picture shows a strong concentration of imports in agricultural and animal feed products, with a single product absorbing almost all of the value.
Brazil is second in value
Brazil ranks second among Mercosur countries in import value, with a total of €15.18 million and a net mass of 4.15 million kilos.
According to the same data, this amount includes the import of coffee and other beverages worth €4.38 million.
In contrast to Argentina, imports from Brazil are more dispersed, including agricultural products, food, raw materials and industrial items, without an extreme concentration in one or two products.
Uruguay: Almost exclusively rice
Imports from Uruguay amounted to €1.47 million, with a net mass of 1.84 million kilos, presenting a strong single-thematic structure.
Top 10 from Uruguay
⦁ Hulled long-grain rice: €873,000
⦁ Husked rice (other type): €197,000
⦁ Husked rice of different qualities: €186,000
⦁ Hulled 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
⦁ Diagnostic laboratory reagents: €2,000
More than 90% of the value concerns different categories of rice.
Paraguay and Bolivia
Paraguay recorded imports worth €635,000, with a net mass of 1.11 million kilograms, mainly in agricultural products and animal feed, without a clear concentration in specific categories. Bolivia had a statistically negligible presence, with imports of just €88 and 3 kg.
What the data show about the Mercosur agreement
The data show that Cyprus already maintains active trade relations with Mercosur countries, with an emphasis on agricultural, animal feed and consumer products. The agreement under discussion does not create the framework for imports, since they are already allowed, but the differentiation in tariffs.
An agreement that, according to Cypriot producers, is expected to affect the cost of imports and ultimately the competition between foreign and Cypriot products, since the new tariff regulations can bring cheaper products to Cyprus than Cypriot ones.
