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Cyprus Easter Retail Activity Holds Steady Despite Disruptions

Cyprus retail sector maintained stable performance during the Easter period despite geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and disruptions linked to foot-and-mouth disease. Market activity showed limited fluctuations during the holiday period.

Steady Supply Chains And Stable Pricing

Marios Antoniou, Secretary General of the Cyprus Retail Trade Association (Pasyle), said supply chains remained uninterrupted, ensuring product availability. No shortages were recorded during the period. Price increases in lamb were linked to the impact of foot-and-mouth disease rather than geopolitical developments.

Consumer Behavior And Seasonal Trends

Consumer traffic remained stable across supermarkets, shopping centers, bakeries, and butcher shops. Easter typically generates lower retail activity compared to the Christmas period, but supports specific product categories. Demand patterns reflected seasonal consumption rather than broader shifts in spending.

Weather Conditions And Tourism Implications

Weather conditions affected demand for seasonal goods such as clothing and footwear. Lower temperatures reduced demand for spring collections. Retail locations in tourist areas recorded lower footfall due to reduced hotel occupancy and cancellations.

Outlook

In summing up, industry insiders remain optimistic about the sector’s future, buoyed by the resilience demonstrated during this challenging period. The ability to maintain robust supply chains and stable pricing, even in the face of significant external pressures, is indicative of a broader trend toward adaptability within the retail environment. As market conditions stabilize, Cyprus is well-positioned to capitalize on renewed consumer and tourist activity in the near term.

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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