Cyprus Wholesale Trade Rises While Vehicle Sales Weaken In Early 2026

Overview

Trade activity in Cyprus showed diverging trends during the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat). While wholesale trade excluding motor vehicles recorded strong growth, the sector covering the sale and repair of motor vehicles declined.

Wholesale Trade Performance

Wholesale trade excluding motor vehicles increased by 11.2% year on year, with the turnover value index reaching 142.8 points. Strong growth was recorded across several categories. Specialized wholesale trade expanded by 19.0%, while household goods wholesale rose by 14.9%. Turnover in information and communication equipment increased by 10.4%, and machinery and equipment wholesale registered growth of 8.1%.

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Moderate gains were also observed in more traditional segments. Food, beverages and tobacco wholesale increased by 4.3%, while non-specialized wholesale trade advanced by 4.9%. Wholesale on a fee or contract basis was the only category to register a decline, with turnover falling by 18.5%.

Motor Vehicles Sector Trends

By contrast, turnover in the motor vehicles sector declined by 3.6% compared with the first quarter of 2025, with the index standing at 153.0 points. Much of the decrease was driven by lower motor vehicle sales, which fell by 9.4% to 159.5 points. Despite the broader slowdown, several segments recorded growth. Maintenance and repair activities increased by 3.4%, lifting the index to 143.1 points, while sales of motor vehicle parts and accessories rose by 6.4% to 149.3 points. Motorcycles recorded the strongest performance within the category, with turnover increasing by 13.7%.

Conclusion

Data for 2021, the reference year, highlight differing trends across sectors of the Cypriot economy. Wholesale trade continued to expand during the first quarter of 2026, while activity in the motor vehicles sector weakened, reflecting varying market conditions across different industries.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 24, 2026

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.

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