Greek Agriculture in Peril: Imported Produce Overtakes Homegrown Crops.

Greek agricultural production is currently facing significant challenges, as evidenced by recent statistics from the Association of Greek Companies for the Export, Distribution, and Production of Fruit and Vegetable Juices (INCOFRUIT-HELLAS). The data reveals a rapid increase in fruit and vegetable imports, indicating a troubling trend for the domestic agricultural sector.

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Surge in Imports

In the first five months of this year, Greece imported 383,324 tons of fruits and vegetables, a substantial increase from 310,979 tons during the same period last year. This represents a 23.26% rise. Specifically, in April alone, imports surged to 88,851 tons, up from 59,156 tons in April 2023.

Risks to Domestic Production

According to Georgios Polychronakis, a special adviser to INCOFRUIT-HELLAS, these figures highlight the serious risk of domestic crop failures and supply chains being overshadowed by cheaper imports from non-EU countries. Polychronakis emphasized the need for imported fruits and vegetables to meet the same quality standards as those produced within the EU, including equivalent working conditions and pesticide use. He stressed that Greek regulatory authorities must strictly monitor compliance with commercial quality standards and ensure that imported products are free from pesticide residues and are not falsely labeled as Greek.

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Impact of Adverse Weather

The decline in agricultural production is further exacerbated by adverse weather conditions. Vlassis Tsiogas, President of the Agricultural Cooperative Pasios-Clementi and a member of ETHEA, highlighted the detrimental effects of prolonged rains, high temperatures, and droughts on the harvest. Regions such as Thessaly and the Peloponnese have been particularly hard hit by weather events like bad weather Daniel and bad weather Elias, leading to significant reductions in crop yields.

Tsiogas noted that apple production has been especially affected, with the quality of apples deteriorating due to adverse weather. Varieties such as FUJI, Granny Smith, and Jona have suffered from poor quality due to wind and hail damage, despite meeting the required quantity demands.

Export Trends

Despite the challenges in domestic production, Greek vegetable exports showed a slight increase in the first quarter of the year. From January to March, vegetable exports rose by 3.5% in volume to 93,372 tons and by 0.3% in value to 93.83 million euros. However, fruit exports during the same period decreased by 18.7% in volume. Interestingly, the value of these exports increased by 7.2%, reaching 365,185 tons and 422.146 million euros, thanks to a 31.9% rise in average prices.

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Broader Implications

The surge in fruit and vegetable imports, coupled with the adverse weather conditions, poses a significant threat to Greek agricultural production. The reliance on imports could undermine local farmers and disrupt the agricultural economy. To mitigate these risks, there is an urgent need for stringent quality control measures and support for domestic producers to ensure that Greek agriculture remains competitive and sustainable.

Further research and policy interventions are essential to address these issues comprehensively. The Greek government, agricultural associations, and other stakeholders must collaborate to develop strategies that support local farmers, enhance production quality, and ensure that imports meet stringent safety and quality standards.

Best Regards

Mostafa Adel

Mobile: +201142717700

Email:?[email protected]