|Cyprus Table of Contents Livestock products, including poultry
and milk, made up a significant part of the gross output by
value of the agricultural sector. In 1989 there were 49,000
cattle, 325,000 sheep, 208,000 goats, 281,000 pigs, and
2,475,000 chickens in the governmentcontrolled area. During the
1980s, livestock production roughly doubled, as a result of
subsidies, strict import regulations, and government-sponsored
research that improved both the quality of livestock and its
management. Although Greek Cypriots had become self-sufficient
with regard to pork and poultry, it was necessary to import
beef, veal, and mutton to meet domestic needs. Specialists
believed that the gradual lifting of import restrictions, as
required by the EEC Customs Union Agreement, would put many
inefficient breeders of livestock out of business. Source: U.S.
Library of Congress