G. Georgantas: To connect the Greek diet with our history, tradition and culture

The need to strengthen the national brand of Greek food and beverages was pointed out by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr. George Georgantas, at the event held on the sidelines of the international FoodExpo exhibition entitled “Food certification as an added value to exports” and organized by the National Accreditation System (ESYD).

He pointed out that it is our duty to strengthen the national brand of Greek food and beverages and to directly connect the Greek diet, the products of the Greek land with our history, our tradition and our culture.

As Mr. Georgantas said at a time when one crisis follows another, it is becoming clear that food is always an element that is identified with survival, quality of life and the culture of humanity.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the national food brand must be based on three pillars: exports, investments, tourism,

Every pillar, stressed Mr. Georgantas, we must support it with independent actions. He pointed out that “this building can be supported only by products that have been certified, only products with identity”.

In this process, the weapon of the Ministry of Regional Development, as Mr. Georgantas said, is ELGO – DIMITRA as the control process in this case plays a decisive role.

“Controls by all our supervised market players must be further intensified because only then will we be able to protect Greek products,” said Mr. Georgantas, stressing that the national brand requires the consideration of establishing a commonly accepted certification system. high quality products.

As the Ministry of Agriculture and Food said, the food and beverage industry makes us distinct, proud and several times pioneers in the international markets: “Everything that is Greek has begun to be identified with quality and exquisite taste. This is something that they have conquered themselves. “Producers with little or no assistance from the state,” he said.

He invited all the renowned professionals and businessmen of the area, to rally around this effort.

Mr. Georgantas reminded that for the second consecutive year Greece managed to have a positive balance in the trade of agricultural products amounting to half a billion euros. He noted, however, that in order to continue the upward trend, we must proceed with coordinated moves to strengthen the certified products and masters of the Products of Designation of Origin (PDO) and the Products of Geographical Indication (PGI).

We need consistency, professionalism, strict observance of the prescribed rules of hygiene and safety, said the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure and stressed that only in this way our presence will have credibility and therefore duration.

In order to strengthen this effort, he said, we owe it as a country (state and private bodies involved) to continue the elaboration of promotion programs of the main Greek products, such as cheese, olives and wines.

The role of international exhibitions such as FoodExpo and the strengthening of international distribution networks is important in this regard.

Prerequisite for improving Greek production, Mr. Georgantas said that inherent problems such as:

– the small size of agricultural holdings compared to our competitors,

– the devaluation and shrinkage of the role of cooperatives,

– the low visibility and limited seasonality of our products,

– persistence in varieties that are in declining demand in international markets,

– high transport costs,

– the bargaining power of producers and traders against the major international networks

the limited area of ​​rural education in relation to EU countries, and

the low integration of technological innovations in agricultural production

Greek food and drinks are the modern identity of Greece abroad and the memory that functions as a delicious ambassador of our country internationally but also as an incentive to visit again and again this unique place that we have the blessing to live, noted the Ministry of Agriculture. .

In closing, Mr. Georgantas congratulated ESYD for its action and pointed out that only by adhering to the existing institutional framework and market rules, and of course with good cooperation of all stakeholders, we will have the best result for Greek products. “We have to be focused on this effort,” he said.

Source: AMPE