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Cyprus Readies For Economic Growth Amid Major Infrastructure Investments And Rising Exports

The Central Bank of Cyprus projects economic growth between 2026 and 2028, supported by private infrastructure investment and export activity. Christodoulos Patsalides presented the outlook in the bank’s 2025 annual report.

Robust Economic Forecast

The report outlines baseline projections assuming a gradual de-escalation of geopolitical tensions. Growth is expected to slow from 3.8% in 2025 to 2.7% in 2026, before rising to 2.9% in 2027 and 3.1% in 2028. Inflation is projected to stabilize around 2% over the medium term under this scenario.

Inflation And Policy Outlook

Inflation is forecast at 2.7% in 2026, driven by higher energy, food, and input costs. Price growth is expected to ease to 2% in 2027 and increase slightly to 2.2% in 2028. The increase in 2028 reflects the impact of the expanded Emissions Trading System (ETS2) on fuel prices.

Infrastructure Investments And Export Drive

Christodoulos Patsalides said private infrastructure investment and export growth in services, including technology and finance, are expected to support domestic demand. Higher disposable income and labor market conditions are expected to support consumption. Tourism activity is projected to decline in 2026, with recovery expected from 2027.

Banking Sector Resilience And Governance Modernization

The banking sector reports non-performing loans at 1.6%, compared with the EU average of 1.8%. Capital and liquidity indicators remain within regulatory requirements. The Central Bank is considering changes to its governance structure, including a collective model aligned with European practices.

Outlook For Growth And Stable Labour Markets

GDP is supported by private consumption and investment, according to the report. Public finances show public debt below 60% of GDP, alongside improved credit ratings from international agencies. Unemployment is projected to stabilize at around 4.5% between 2026 and 2028, reflecting current labour market conditions.  Christodoulos Patsalides, Governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus, outlined structural reforms and policy measures aimed at maintaining price stability and supporting economic activity.

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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