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Cyprus Sees Strong Banking Growth In December 2024 As Loan Demand Rebounds

Cyprus closed out 2024 with a surge in banking activity, as both loan demand and deposits recorded significant increases, according to the latest Monetary and Financial Statistics from the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC).

Loan Growth Accelerates

Total loans saw a net increase of €503.2 million in December, reversing a slight €1.8 million decline from the previous month. The annual growth rate of total loans accelerated to 2.8%, up from 1.9% in November, bringing outstanding loans to €25.4 billion.

  • Loans to Cyprus residents rose by €150.7 million.
  • Household borrowing increased by €111.3 million.
  • Loans to non-financial corporations also climbed by €111.4 million.
  • Other domestic sectors experienced a net decline of €72.0 million in loan uptake.

Deposits See Strongest Monthly Gain Of The Year

December also saw a significant rise in total deposits, with a net increase of €977.4 million, far exceeding November’s €91.6 million gain. The annual deposit growth rate climbed to 6.6%, up from 5.4% in November, pushing total deposit volume to €55.9 billion by year-end.

  • Deposits from Cyprus residents grew by €877.2 million.
  • Household deposits led the increase, rising €594.5 million.
  • Deposits from non-financial corporations declined by €135.3 million.
  • Other domestic sectors contributed an additional €418.0 million in deposits.

Seasonal Trends And Economic Resilience

The CBC attributed the strong deposit inflow in December to seasonal factors, highlighting the resilience of the Cypriot banking sector as loan activity picked up after a slower period. With rising deposit levels and increasing borrowing demand, Cyprus enters 2025 with a strengthened financial system, positioning its banks for continued growth and stability.

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.

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.

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