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Significant Price Discrepancies In Local Produce: From Farm To Retail Shelf

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

May 25, 2026

Overview Of Local Produce Price Dynamics

Recent data highlighted significant differences between producer prices and retail prices across the local fruit and vegetable market in Cyprus. Official producer prices reported by recognized producers’ groups differed substantially from retail prices collected from major supermarket chains. The figures were compiled by the Department of Agriculture through the online “e-kofini” platform as part of a broader market analysis focused on household food costs.

High-Cost Items And Their Market Impact

Cherries recorded the highest retail prices among locally produced items during the reporting period. Average producer prices for cherries reached approximately €9.00 per kilogram, while retail prices increased to €12.95 per kilogram. Loquats were priced at €8.00 per kilogram at the producer level, compared with retail prices of €9.45 per kilogram. The data highlighted the widening gap between producer and consumer prices for several seasonal products.

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Striking Variances In Strawberry Pricing

Field-grown strawberries also showed a significant difference between producer and retail pricing. Producer prices averaged €4.87 per kilogram, while retail prices reached €9.20 per kilogram. Mountain strawberries were sold at an average retail price of €7.50 per kilogram, while runner beans reached €7.45 per kilogram.

Stable And Accessible Produce Prices

More commonly consumed vegetables maintained lower and more stable pricing levels across the market. Tomatoes averaged €3.53 per kilogram, cucumbers were priced at €1.33 per kilogram, and potatoes remained among the least expensive products at €0.76 per kilogram.

Pricing In The Imported Produce Segment

Imported fruits and vegetables also recorded substantial price differences across categories. Blueberries registered the highest average retail price among imported products at €34.00 per kilogram. Grapes and pomegranates were priced at around €7.00 per kilogram, while oranges averaged approximately €6.00 per kilogram, and pear-shaped varieties reached €5.00 per kilogram. Imported apples and mangoes were sold at approximately €3.00 per kilogram, while bananas averaged €2.00 per kilogram.

Final Observations

Additional imported products, such as lemons and onions, were priced at €2.50 and €4.00 per kilogram, respectively, while imported asparagus bunches reached €9.50 per kilogram. The latest figures highlighted persistent differences between producer and retail pricing across both local and imported produce categories.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

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Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.