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Ice Cream, Holidays And Hotels Cost More In June

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

The prices of “summer” products specifically ice creams, package holidays and hotels went up in June, compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Cyprus Consumers Association, based on the Consumer Price Index.

According to the data, the price of organised domestic holidays has increased by 11.8%. At the same time, ice creams are 8.07% more expensive, while hotels’ prices have also increased by 7.76% compared to May.

Compared to May 2024, an increase was also recorded in the price of dried, salted and smoked meat by 5.09%, yoghurt by 3.75%, food processing equipment by 3.5% and fresh fruit by 3.44%.

On the contrary, compared to May, in June the price of sewerage services decreased by 10.4%, the price of subscription to TV stations dropped by 10.06%, while the price of fresh vegetables, excluding potatoes and other bulbs, decreased by 9.12% and vegetables by 7.07%.

Compared to June 2023, in June 2024 the price of olive oil continued to register a large increase by 63.09%, passenger transport went down by 16.54%, fresh fruit by 15.42% and fruit by 12.87%.

A significant decrease, compared to last year, was recorded in the price of sugar, by 20.44% in June 2024. Garden furniture is also cheaper this June by 13.72%, while the price of butter decreased by 10.42%. 

Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

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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