About North Cyprus · Citrus orchards
Citrus orchards of Güzelyurt and Lefke, North Cyprus
As of 28 October 2026, a 2019 paper from the Güzelyurt Agricultural Research Station says citrus cultivation in the TRNC is concentrated in the Güzelyurt and Lefke regions, and a Lefke European University page citing 2017 Ministry statistics puts the two at over 98% of production. Sources name Valencia, Yafa, Washington Navel, Navelina and Newhall oranges, plus mandarins, lemons and grapefruit. Güzelyurt Municipality and BRTK describe an annual Orange Festival, reported running to 21 June in 2026. Each entry links its source.
Checked 28 October 2026 against the sources named in the text and listed below. Positions of parties are attributed to them.
Where citrus is grown: the Güzelyurt and Lefke area
According to a 2019 paper by Çimen and colleagues on the Güzelyurt Agricultural Research Station, citrus cultivation in the TRNC is concentrated in the Güzelyurt and Lefke regions, and about 98% of citrus production comes from the Güzelyurt region. The paper gives this as background and cites Yeşiloğlu et al. A Lefke European University page, citing 2017 Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources statistics, reports 99,721 tons of citrus, of which 22,685 tons were produced in Lefke district, and says Lefke and Güzelyurt together account for over 98%. The page's own figures do not add up exactly, so they are quoted here as written.
Güzelyurt Municipality places the town between Kyrenia, Lefke and Nicosia, and Visit North Cyprus describes it as lying in the centre of the citrus growing area. For the town's sights see Güzelyurt and Lefke places to see; for plants and wildlife see flora and fauna; for the rules on agricultural land see agricultural land and fields in North Cyprus.
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Orange cultivars named in the sources
According to Çimen et al. (2019), the TRNC citrus area in 2018 was 43,148 decares, of which about 71% (30,734 decares) was orange. The paper lists Valencia at 27,697 decares, Yafa at 2,864 decares and Washington Navel at 173.5 decares. It cites Yeşiloğlu et al. (2011) for these figures while attributing them to 2018, so the year is the paper's own statement and should be read with care.
The paper also describes two early-maturing navel oranges, Navelina and Newhall, planted in adaptation plots at the Güzelyurt Agricultural Research Station. In an article published on 2 February 2023, the Northern Cyprus Citrus Producers' Union chair Turgut Akçın gave the previous season's output as 56,877 tons of valencia and 1,329 tons of yafa oranges.
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Lefke and the Yafa orange
Lefke Municipality's "What to do in Lefke?" page says visitors can pick Yafa oranges from orange groves in Lefke and that date palms and orange trees can be seen growing together. The same page lists "Yafa Portakal" among local specialities and a "Lefke Yafa Portakal Festivali" among the town's festivals. Kıbrıs Postası reported the 9th Yafa Portakal Şöleni on 1 April 2018, and a Cittaslow page dated 4 April 2016 describes a "Jaffa Orange Festival" held in Lefke on 2 and 3 April 2016. Both are separate from the Güzelyurt Orange Festival above.
A Lefke European University page, citing 2017 Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources statistics, splits Lefke district's 8,115 tons of orange into 5,090 tons of Valencia and 2,705 tons of "Yafa –Shaimouti", which it writes as one cultivar entry without explaining the name. The parts do not add up: 5,090 and 2,705 make 7,795, and the 8,115 tons of orange plus 12,215 tons of mandarin make 20,330 against the 22,685 tons it gives for Lefke district. The page carries no date, so the figures are quoted as written. The sources opened here do not say whether Yafa, Shaimouti and Jaffa are exact synonyms, so this page does not equate them beyond how each source words it.
On history, Lefke Municipality's history page says its records for 1923 to 1929 show no weighing fee collected on citrus exported through Pendaya port. It does not name a cultivar. Havadis reported on 31 March 2018 that a Yafa orange sculpture, described as a symbol of Lefke, had been placed at a roundabout in the town.
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Mandarins, lemons and grapefruit in the sources
Çimen et al. (2019) give mandarin 4,774 decares, grapefruit (altıntop) 4,058 decares and lemon 3,581 decares in 2018, with the same caveat about the cited source. In İstiklal (2023), Akçın gives the previous season's output as 53,669 tons of mandora mandarin (which he also calls king), 3,500 tons of lemon, 3,000 tons of grapefruit and 1,137 tons of W. Murcott, and says king and valencia make up 85–90% of total production.
FreshPlaza (2017) quotes the chair of the Akdeniz Citrus Exporters Association, Ahmet Hasturk, listing Valencia oranges, Mandora (Ortanique), W Murcott, WSM grapefruit and lemons among its main products, and citing demand for easy-peel mandarins and seedless lemons.
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Harvest season: what the sources say
Çimen et al. (2019) report that in the 2016 season the satsuma mandarins Okitsu and Clausellina were harvested in September, October and November, and the navel oranges Navelina and Newhall in October, November and December. The paper's conclusion gives mid-October as the optimum harvest for Newhall and mid-November for Navelina.
In the İstiklal article of 2 February 2023, Cypfruvex general manager Cemal Redif says harvests start in September and could continue until June if the variety mix is broadened. Cyprus FAQ, which states that its articles are written with AI assistants, reported on 13 December 2025 that Akçın placed the start of the king mandarin and Valencia harvests in late January to February.
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The Güzelyurt Orange Festival
Güzelyurt Municipality states that an Orange Festival is organised every year. BRTK reported on 16 June 2026 that the 48th Güzelyurt Orange Festival had begun the night before and would run until Sunday evening, 21 June, at Güzelyurt Festival Park. It quotes Mayor Mahmut Özçınar describing the orange as a symbol of labour, abundance and Güzelyurt.
BRTK reported on 16 June 2025 that the 47th festival would open that day and run until 22 June, with a parade at 18:30 from Güzelyurt Kurtuluş Primary School and free admission to all events. Dates and programmes change from year to year, so check the municipality's current announcement before planning a visit.
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Güzelyurt museum, market and the sector's organisations
Güzelyurt Municipality describes the town's museum as a two-floor building with archaeology and nature sections, used as a Metropolitan building before 1974 and opened as a museum in 1979. It names the Tumba tou Skourou finds and the Artemis statue among the museum's exhibits. Visit North Cyprus places the Archaeology and Nature Museum in the buildings beside the church of St Mamas and describes a Saturday market selling local produce.
On the organisations around the crop, Minister Hüseyin Çavuş told the 29th general assembly of the Cyprus Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Company (Cypfruvex) in July 2025 that delivering agricultural water to Güzelyurt improved the quality and productivity of citrus groves, according to Kıbrıs Postası. FreshPlaza (2017) reports an exporters' association with 25 member companies in the Güzelyurt citrus region.
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Practical notes
- Figures come from different years and sources and are not directly comparable: 2017 Ministry statistics quoted by a Lefke European University page, a 2018 area table in a 2019 paper, a 2017 FreshPlaza interview and a 2023 article quoting a producers' union chair for the previous season.
- Çimen et al. (2019) cite Yeşiloğlu et al. (2011) for area figures they attribute to 2018, and the paper's abstract and results differ on one month for the mandarin harvest, so only the unambiguous months are given here.
- Two shares appear in the sources: about 98% of production from the Güzelyurt region (Çimen et al.) and over 98% from Lefke and Güzelyurt together (Lefke European University page). They are reported as written and not reconciled.
- Names differ between sources: Çimen et al. list Yafa and Washington Navel as separate entries, İstiklal uses "yafa" alone for its 1,329-ton figure, and the Lefke page writes "Yafa (Shaimouti)". İstiklal calls mandora mandarin "king" and FreshPlaza writes Mandora (Ortanique).
- Cyprus FAQ states that its articles are created with AI assistants, so its December 2025 harvest-timing statement is cited only as a reported claim by Akçın. The Lefke European University page carries no date; its figures are cited to the 2017 statistics it names.
- This page does not cite the Agricultural Research Institute's cultivar brochures or official statistical tables, so no tonnage or area is given as a current official figure. Check the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Statistical Institute for current data, and Güzelyurt Municipality for festival dates.
Frequently asked questions
Which areas of North Cyprus grow citrus?
Çimen et al. (2019) say citrus cultivation in the TRNC is concentrated in the Güzelyurt and Lefke regions. A Lefke European University page, citing 2017 Ministry statistics, says the two together account for over 98% of citrus production.
Which orange varieties are grown around Güzelyurt?
Çimen et al. (2019) list Valencia, Yafa and Washington Navel by area for 2018, and studied Navelina and Newhall at the Güzelyurt Agricultural Research Station. İstiklal (2023) quotes a producers' union chair naming valencia and yafa output.
When is the citrus harvest in North Cyprus?
In a 2016 trial, Çimen et al. report satsuma mandarins harvested September to November and navel oranges October to December. İstiklal (2023) quotes Redif saying harvests start in September and could run until June with a broader variety mix.
When is the Güzelyurt Orange Festival held?
Güzelyurt Municipality says the festival is held every year. BRTK reported the 48th edition running to 21 June 2026 and the 47th running from 16 to 22 June 2025. Dates change each year, so check the municipality's current announcement.
What is Yafa orange?
Çimen et al. (2019) list Yafa as an orange cultivar covering 2,864 decares in 2018, and a Lefke European University page spells it "Yafa (Shaimouti)". İstiklal (2023) quotes Akçın saying Lefke is now the only area still producing it, for the domestic market.
Are mandarins, lemons and grapefruit grown too?
Çimen et al. (2019) give 2018 areas for mandarin, grapefruit and lemon. İstiklal (2023) quotes Akçın giving the previous season's output for mandora (king) mandarin, lemon, grapefruit and W. Murcott, and FreshPlaza (2017) lists Mandora, W Murcott, WSM grapefruit and lemons.
Is there a museum in Güzelyurt?
Güzelyurt Municipality describes a two-floor museum with archaeology and nature sections, opened in 1979. Visit North Cyprus places the Archaeology and Nature Museum beside the church of St Mamas. See also the page on Güzelyurt and Lefke places to see.
What is Cypfruvex?
Kıbrıs Postası (8 July 2025) names it the Cyprus Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Company, with headquarters at Kalkanlı, and reports Minister Çavuş speaking at its 29th general assembly. İstiklal (2023) quotes Cemal Redif as its general manager.
How much citrus does North Cyprus produce?
A Lefke European University page reports 99,721 tons in 2017 Ministry statistics. Cyprus FAQ (13 December 2025) quotes Akçın expecting a harvest of barely 100,000 tonnes that season. Sources differ in year and method.
Does Lefke have its own orange festival?
Lefke Municipality's "What to do in Lefke?" page lists a Lefke Yafa Portakal Festivali. Kıbrıs Postası reported the 9th Yafa Portakal Şöleni on 1 April 2018, and a Cittaslow page describes a Jaffa Orange Festival on 2 and 3 April 2016. Check the municipality for current dates.
How many tons of Yafa oranges did Lefke produce?
A Lefke European University page, citing 2017 Ministry statistics, gives 2,705 tons of Yafa –Shaimouti among 8,115 tons of orange in Lefke district. Its subtotals do not add up exactly and the page is undated, so treat it as reported, not as a current figure.
Can visitors pick oranges in Lefke?
Lefke Municipality's "What to do in Lefke?" page says Yafa oranges can be picked from orange groves in Lefke. It gives no dates, places or conditions, so ask the municipality before planning. Kıbrıs Postası (2018) also reported orange picking from trees at the Yafa festival.
Sources
- Çimen et al. (2019), Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology: early maturing mandarin and orange varieties, Güzelyurt
- Lefke European University: alternative crops to citrus in the TRNC (Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies dean)
- İstiklal: how will the citrus market take shape in the TRNC (2 February 2023)
- FreshPlaza: Northern Cyprus' citrus sector expanding (20 September 2017)
- Cyprus FAQ: orange and mandarin harvest estimate (13 December 2025)
- Güzelyurt Municipality: Güzelyurt
- Visit North Cyprus: Güzelyurt
- BRTK: 48th Güzelyurt Orange Festival began last night (16 June 2026)
- BRTK: 47th Güzelyurt Orange Festival kicks off today (16 June 2025)
- Kıbrıs Postası: Çavuş, Cypfruvex now debt-free and sustainable (8 July 2025)
- Wikipedia: Morphou (secondary source)
- Wikipedia: Lefka (secondary source)
- Lefke Municipality: What to do in Lefke?
- Lefke Municipality: History of Lefke (Lefke'nin Tarihçesi)
- Kıbrıs Postası: Yafa Portakal Şöleni held in Lefke (2 April 2018)
- Cittaslow: Lefke (TRNC) - Jaffa Orange Festival 2016 (4 April 2016)
- Havadis: Yafa orange placed in the centre of Lefke (31 March 2018)
- Lefke European University: Healthy Living with Local Products days (undated)
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