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Cyprus Industrial Production Falls 4.9% In November Amid Sectoral Shifts

Industrial production in Cyprus declined by 4.9% in November 2024, with the Industrial Production Index dropping to 102.7 units (base 2021=100), according to data released by the Cyprus Statistical Service on Thursday.

A major contributing factor to the decline was a 44.2% drop in the manufacturing of non-metallic mineral products, largely impacted by a strike in the ready-mix concrete sector that lasted from early November to early December.

Manufacturing And Mining Suffer, Utilities Show Growth

The manufacturing sector recorded a 6.1% year-on-year decline in November, while mining and quarrying saw an even sharper contraction of 23.6%. Conversely, some industries posted gains, with water supply and materials recovery increasing by 11.4%, and electricity supply rising slightly by 0.7%.

Within manufacturing, the strongest growth came from machinery and equipment production, including motor vehicles and transport equipment (up 13.7%), rubber and plastic products (up 7.5%), and electronic and optical products (up 6.9%).

However, significant downturns were observed in non-metallic mineral products (down 44.2%), paper products and printing (down 18%), and furniture manufacturing and machinery repair/installation (down 14.4%).

Year-to-Date Performance Shows Overall Growth

Despite November’s decline, industrial production for the period January–November 2024 remained positive, registering a 2.8% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

The most notable year-to-date growth was recorded in water collection, treatment, and supply (up 22.8%), electronic and optical products manufacturing (up 12.2%), and machinery and transport equipment production (up 9.9%). Mining and quarrying, which showed a steep drop in November, still recorded an 8% increase over the 11 months.

On the downside, paper products and printing (down 11.7%), non-metallic mineral products (down 4.9%), and textiles, apparel, and leather goods manufacturing (down 4.5%) were among the hardest-hit industries.

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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