Freskon 2022 Exhibition: ‘Fruit and vegetables are the arm of the export power of the Greek primary sector’, says Georgantas

The Minister of Rural Development, George Georgantas, referred to the positive sign recorded in the last two years, after decades, in exports versus imports of agricultural products, inaugurating tonight at stand 13, of the Thessaloniki International Fair, the International Fair of Fresh Fruits and 20 Vegetables22 “.

“Greek agricultural products, for the first time in many decades, in the last two years have managed to have a positive balance in the relationship between imports and exports. For the first time in 2021 the country exported more agricultural products than it imported,” he said. Georgantas.

The Minister of Rural Development pointed out that Greek products of high quality and nutritional value have already occupied “a very important position” in both domestic and international markets, recording an upward trend in their exports.

He added that the government’s priorities are to support cooperatives, cooperatives, producer groups, contract farming and announced new interventions in this direction, in order to achieve lower prices for raw materials and fertilizers, higher yields. best prices for Greek products in international markets.

“In our country, about 18% of the total agricultural production can not be traded, through cooperatives and cooperatives, and abroad it can be around 65%,” said Mr. Georgantas, adding: “I am sure that today there is a “A substantial restart in an industry that has offered so much in recent years and I’m sure it will offer again this year.”

The minister stressed that every effort is being made by the government to reduce the increased production costs – due to the international energy crisis, as a result of the war in Ukraine – with measures already announced by the government and “will start to be implemented from next month.” , while referring to more news after the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers. on May 23rd.

“We must support the primary sector as a whole, trying to reduce the increase in production costs, or mitigate it,” said the Minister of Rural Development, adding: “Fruits and vegetables are the arm of the export power of the Greek primary sector.”

He urged Greek farmers to “continue to produce”, despite the concern expressed by some about the fate of exports to war-torn countries, emphasizing that the growing season this year is expected to be good and the supply chain at European level works well and added:

“We and other countries have asked for the relevant EU regulation to be activated, so that in case these exports, which were always made, can not be made, as the EU used to do in the past, that is, to We hope that it will not have to happen, as there is this alternative, this possibility, this security for producers, in any case, we are here to support “.

For foreign land workers, who are engaged in seasonal crops, the Minister of Rural Development stressed that there is now a fairly flexible and less bureaucratic institutional framework for their invitation. He also noted that Mr. Mitarakis has already addressed countries of origin abroad to sign bilateral agreements to facilitate the process, while he pledged to see what more he can do in cooperation with his counterparts in the EU. . and with other government ministers to address a possible shortage of farming hands.

He also noted that in the last three years the market controls for the “Hellenization” of products have been intensified, citing as an example milk, especially sheep and goat, where, as he mentioned, there were higher prices for producers and ensured origin and quality of the product.

The minister congratulated the organizers, the administration of the TIF, stressing that the 6th Freskon is coming back – after a two-year period that was not organized due to the pandemic – and is a “substantial restart” in the effort to further develop the agri-food industry. certainty that “with the extroversion it has established” and with the very good cooperation of both the institutions and the local government, it will bring added value to the products, with benefits for the farmers of the region and the whole country.

Greetings, A. Tzitzikosta, G. Konstantopoulou, T. Tzika

The governor of Central Macedonia Apostolos Tzitzikostas underlined that PKM is the first region in agricultural GDP production, with 26% of the total agricultural product, first in food exports and also performs in the axis of Northern Greece 70% of the transport activity of the whole country . “Therefore, as the management of PKM, we have consciously chosen to focus our policy on supporting the agri-food sector as a whole, primary sector, processing, exports.”

“Exports in 2021 broke the barrier of forty billion euros, this was not done by chance, it was done thanks to the good work and cooperation of all,” said the president of SEVE, George Konstantopoulos.

“Freskon is an international exhibition, we have participations from twelve countries, trade representatives from thirty-six countries, there will be two thousand business appointments” stressed the president of TIF, Tassos Tzikas and continued: “Thessaloniki is back on the map of exhibition events”.

The deputy mayor Erotokritos Theotokatos also greeted, while the inauguration was attended, among others, by the mayor of Kalamaria, Giannis Dardamanelis.