Visit of the CEO of Piraeus Bank to Thessaly

The CEO of Piraeus Bank, Mr. Christos Megalou, had meetings with representatives of local companies active in the agri-food sector, during his recent visit to Thessaly

He visited the production units and met with representatives of the group of ginning and marketing companies of cotton and cereals MARKOU, as well as the cheese production company ROUSSAS SA.

The MARKOU group of companies started its business activities in the ginning and marketing of cotton in 1955. It has a presence throughout Greece with cotton ginning and storage facilities.

ROUSSAS SA, has been active in the cheese industry since 1952, and has an export character, as it exports over 90% of its annual production to the USA, Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and the Far East.

According to the Bank, the visit to Thessaly marks the determination of Piraeus to stand by the side of Greek companies, offering them a variety of options for financing their investment projects and providing working capital.

The representatives of the companies analyzed their future plans with emphasis on extroversion, innovation, RES investments and energy cost savings, the modernization of the units and the circular economy as well as the exploitation of the competitive advantages of the Greek products and the support of the proto-production. Greek producer, while conveying their optimistic assessments of the present and future of the agri-food sector.

However, they also raised concerns about the current state of the world and Greek economies and the climate of uncertainty created by the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, the expected rise in interest rates and the constant appreciation and problems in the supply chain, the effects of this and their sustainable operation as well as the ways of their successful management.

The Bank’s Management reaffirmed its commitment to supporting businesses, providing them with guidance, know-how and financing through the utilization of available resources and with specialized products that cover their every need.

The stable development perspective of the country, the opportunities presented by the mobilization of the financial resources of the Recovery Fund, the NSRF and the Development Law as well as the ease of financing by the Greek banks after the increase of their capital adequacy and liquidity, creates the conditions for the implementation of high value-added investment projects that will create new jobs and dynamic growth for the local and national economy.

Accompanied by the Senior General Manager of Corporate and Investment Banking of the Bank Thodoris Tzouros, as well as Antonis Katraouras, General Manager, Head of Commercial Banking, Andreas Dimitriadis, Head of Business Centers of Northern Greece, Dimitrios K / Dimitarikos N – Mr. Macedonia, Mr. Megalou, referred to the positive prospects of the agri-food sector and the economy in general, but also to the challenges created for businesses by the international macroeconomic environment.

The support of the agri-food sector is a strategic choice for Piraeus Bank in order to meet the individual needs of farmers, organizations and businesses in the area, in order to create added value in all places.

Indicatively, the program of Contract Farming and Livestock implemented by Piraeus Bank is noted, which is a modern initiative in the framework of the Bank’s broader strategy for the support and modernization of the agricultural sector. The program aims at the beneficial cooperation of producers and companies for marketing, processing and distribution of agricultural production.