Sales of locally produced industrial goods in Cyprus rose by 3.7 per cent to €4.77 billion, with halloumi, bakery products and pharmaceuticals among the largest categories, according to statistical service (Cystat) figures released on Thursday.

Sales increased by €170.2 million from €4.60bn a year earlier, although growth slowed from the 7.3 per cent recorded in 2023, when the total had risen from €4.29bn, according to earlier Cystat figures.

Among the biggest contributors was halloumi, with local industrial units selling 46,100 tonnes worth €364.1m, compared with 41,900 tonnes valued at €338.1m a year earlier.

That translates into an increase of around 10 per cent in volume and 7.7 per cent in value, adding €26m to halloumi sales over the year.

The rise came as halloumi continued to play a leading role in Cyprus’ overseas trade. As previously reported, exports reached 42,427 tonnes worth €324m, compared with 39,078 tonnes valued at €315m in 2023.

Fresh bakery and pastry products, meanwhile, recorded an even higher sales value at €373.8m, up from €351.4m a year earlier, an increase of around 6.4 per cent.

Pharmaceutical products and preparations were close behind at €363.3m, rising by around 3.4 per cent from €351.4m in 2023.

Pharmaceuticals also retained a significant place in the country’s export mix. Earlier trade figures showed exports worth €348m, equivalent to 14.4 per cent of Cyprus’ manufactured exports.

Elsewhere in the food and drinks industry, fresh fruit juice sales climbed to 75,000 tonnes worth €54m, from 71,100 tonnes and €49m respectively, an increase of around 5.5 per cent in volume and 10.2 per cent in value.

Beer also moved higher, with sales reaching 43.1m litres worth €57m, compared with 42.3m litres valued at €53.8m a year earlier.

Similarly, soft drink sales increased to 14.7m litres worth €23.5m, from 13.5m litres and €20.5m.

Bottled mineral water recorded one of the sharper increases among the products covered by the data, with sales reaching 216.9m litres worth €46.7m, up from 190.7m litres valued at €39.9m.

That represented growth of almost 14 per cent in volume and 17 per cent in value.

Prepared meat products also rose, albeit more modestly, reaching €51.4m, against €50.4m the previous year.

However, not all categories followed the same direction.

Sales of pasteurised milk and fresh cream fell to 57.8m litres worth €82.7m, from 60.7m litres and €85.9m a year earlier.

Wine recorded a steeper fall, with sales declining to 10.4m litres worth €35.7m, compared with 11.9m litres valued at €39.5m.

That amounted to a reduction of about 12.6 per cent in volume and 9.6 per cent in value.

Sales of chemical products also slipped to €80.6m, from €84m, a decrease of around 4 per cent.

Construction-related products, meanwhile, moved in different directions.

Sales of cement and clinker dropped by almost €20m to €138.3m, from €158.2m a year earlier, representing a decline of around 12.6 per cent.

By contrast, ready-mixed concrete sales rose to €257.6m from €247.7m, an increase of about 4 per cent.

Overall, three categories alone, bakery and pastry products, halloumi and pharmaceuticals, generated more than €1.1bn in sales, with all three recording higher values than a year earlier.

Cystat said the figures cover commodities produced by industrial units in Cyprus, with sales reported in both quantity, where available, and value terms.