Flower power

First orchid walk sees  450 raised for KAR-but cancer charity trek called off.

Walkers put their best feet forward to raise money  for TRNC’s biggest animal charity.

About   450 was collected for Kyrenia Animal Rescue (KAR) at the first orchid walk of the season, hosted on Wednesday by Tony and Maureen Hutchinson, who run an organic farm in Hisarköy.

Twenty people took on the event, which incorporated a two-hour walk in the morning and a longer walk in the afternoon as well as lunch at the farm.

The walks take in the spring orchids of North Cyprus  and sights including a Bronze Age tomb and medieval Maronite Church.

Mr and Mrs Hutchinson had also organised the route, as they do every year, for the seventh Pro Cancer Research Fund(PCRF) charity orchid walk for life, but organisers have been forced to cancel the walk, which was due to take place tomorrow(28-02-2010).

It will come as a bitter blow to the dozens of people who have flown in from the UK specifically to take on the Orchid walk for life.

Last night’s fundraising gala dinner at the ship-inn, PCRF and its sister Kanser Araştırma Vakfı(KAV) charity in the TRNC was also cancelled due to yesterday’s hazardous weather conditions.

Co-ordinator Güliz Onkal said:”We had to make a decision and we had no choice but to cancel it.

“it is such a shame, especially as people have flown in from the UK. But we had no choice with the weather and the conditions.

“But we will definitely hold the event at a later date, perhaps at the end of March.”

Hundreds of locals and expats were expected to take on the 10KM walk from Kozanköy Primary School.

More than 400 people took up the challenge last year and the challenge last year and raised    30,000 for the charities.

PCRF founder and chairman Mustafa Djamgöz, who is originally from Lefkoşa(Nicosia) and now a professor of cancer biology at Imperial College, London, had been due to take part along with his wife, Sabire.

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Cyprus Citrus Exports Slump By A Half

New figures show that exports of citrus and vegetables from North Cyprus have fallen dramatically in the last two years.

Citrus exports dropped from 112,000 tonnes in 2007 to 53,000 tonnes last year. Potato exports fared even worse, falling from 9.000 tonnes in 2007 to 2,200 in 2009.

Citrus Growers’ Union chairman Mehmet Ali Aybar blamed the drop in sales aboard on the rising costs in the sector, including irrigation and fertilisers.

He said growers were not tending their groves as often because of the cost and thus not getting the yields of previous years.

Many oranges and lemons are simply left to fall from the tree.

“If you were able to spend 2,000 TL on each donum we would get a yield, on average ,of six tonnes, but the growers do not have the means to do that,” said Mr Aybar.

He said government subsidies had not paid on time and many growers were unable to borrow from banks.

Ahmet Yeşilada, chairman of the Potato Growers’ Union, blamed the ongoing embargoes for the decline in trade.

He also said trade to South Cyprus had been problematic.

This included claims that potatoes being sold over the Green Line had originated from Turkey, which saw a decline in demand from Greek Cypriot stores and export businesses.

Mr Yeşilada said the biggest market for TRNC-grown potatoes had been the UK, but the embargoes meant trade had come to a halt. There was good news for artichoke growers, however .

Exports rose from two million  tonnes in 2007 to 2.5 million tonnes last years. Carob exports also grew over the same period, from 548 tonnes in 2007 to 575 tonnes in 2009.

Citrus exports dropped from 112,000 tonnes in 2007 to 53,000 tonnes last years.

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EU chips in to help out the Farmers

Nearly 200 Turkish Cypriot farmers are to benefit from European Union aid to help them meet EU standards and best practices.

Two rural development grants scheme have dished out more than five million euros-worth of investment to 188 farms in North Cyprus.

One scheme, for improving agricultural production and supporting rural enterprise, has awarded 141 grants, ranging from 15,000 euros to 100,000 euros. This offers up to 65 per cent of investment support for equipment purchases in the dairy, crop and horticultural sectors.

The aim is to improve production methods to reach EU standards.

The second scheme, supporting rural enterprise, aims to introduce new technology to improve production quality as well as bolstering environmental and workplace safety and hygiene .

This saw 47 grants, ranging euros, handed out for farmers in the cereal, fruit, vegetable, potato and dairy sectors. It also offers financial help to develop alternative rural incomes through tourism and small-scale enterprises.

This scheme was initially launched in June and is specifically aimed at small and medium-sized  farms and post-harvest business.

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Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque

(St Nicholas Cathedral)

Formerly known as  St Nicholas Cathedral, the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque lies-within the hearth of the old walled cıty of Famagusta. Standing strong since the 14th century, the solid foundations of the structure has enabled it to remain a significant reminder of the diversity of cultures that have passed thcyprus throughout  the centuries.

The mosque is comprised of a rectangular body and two towers with minarets. The towers have a bold presence due to the fact that they are visibleucture. The architects  from all parts of the city. The seemingly delicate structure did suffer from damage from the 1571 Ottoman siege and subsequent carthquakes, but it has remained sturdily on its feet, attesting to its true fortitude and resistance.

Inspried by the gothic Rheims Cathedral in France, the western façade truly resembles a medieval European structure. The architects  themselves came from France to design the cathedral, inspried by the magnificence of Famagusta and wishing to create somrthing complementary to its beauty. The construction itself took several decadesö and was built from 1298 until 1326. It is built of brown limestone, just like the city walls of Famagusta, making two harmonious with each other and adding to the town’s elegance.

Only one stained glass window was able to survive the 1571 events, but it is an accurate indication of the intricacy of the cathedral’s design. The window is divided into six parts and resembles a rose, resting high up on the Western facade.

A small Ottoman tomb rest on the left side of the cathedral, dating back to 1700, accompanied by a small shrine. A large tree lives in front of the main door, and is thought to be one of the, if not the, oldest living tree in Northern Cyprus. Thought to have been platted in 1250, the tree is an East Africa fig tree. Situated below one of the Cathedral’s windows is a frieze, illustrating a series of wild animals and foliage. On both sides of the Cathedral-Mopsque, which also provide a pleasant shade from the scorching Cyprus sun.

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Orchids were violently uprooted

Environmentalists  have been angered by the erection of wire fences around the field in the south of Lefke European  University know as “Kireç Hill’. The Chairman of Lefke Environment and Introduction  Association. Enver Bildir, lecturer and researcher Ediz Tuncel , the Chairman of Green Peace Movement Doğan Sahir  and the Chairman of the Chamber of Tourist Guides Hasan Karlıtaş went to the venue abd made observations. The environmentalists pointed that the region should immediately be taken under protection. The organisations asked who took such a field for what reason and wanted the officials to declare who is responsible for the natural destruction. As a lecturer who knows the area very well, Ediz Tuncel said he has been making researches on this area for years but since the importance of the values of the country are not known well they are destructed unconsciously. Tuncel said: “This is a natural area full of endemics which can not be found anywhere else on the island. Especially cyprus Orchid is seen a lot in this area. It is not possible to see these species at this debsity anywhere else in cyprus. Some people placed wire fences around a large part of this field and uprooted the orchids violently. This destruction should immediately be stoped. This field belongs to CMC and under the responsibility of the state. It should be taken under protection as soon as possible. We called the officials of the Environmental Protection Bureau a few days ago. They came here, made observations and prepared reports. However, we know nothing about the afterwards of the reports. There has been a natural destruction here and the criminal should be penalised”.

The Chairman of Lefke Environment and Introduction Association, Enver Bildir implied that the land was given to someone else. Bildir said: “Since the area originally belongs to CMC and the Ministry of Finance holds all belongings of CMC, the responsible for this land is also     the Ministry of Finance. We suggested the ministry to give thi area under the control of LAU to protect and enliven the endemics. The lands of the university are neighbours with this area .  Instead of transferring  the land to a üniversity, they preferred giving it to individuals who destructed  the natural life. State officials should make an explanation to public”. The Chairman of the Chamber of Tourist Guides, Hasan Karlıtaş said there were rarely found orchid species in the area which are very important for special interest tourism. Karlıtaş suggested the government to take the area under protection for an environment friendly tourism. The Chairman of Green Peace Movement, Doğan Sahir said the area is an orphan piece of the country and asked officials to protect the endemic species. Sahir said the environmentalist NGOs focus on such problems but state officials leave these issues on dusty shelves and criminals are not punished.

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