The potential of agricultural production as a means to the economic recovery of Greece and Europe was examined during an Economist Agricultural Business Summit that took place in Thessaloniki, on February 7. The conference, titled Accelerating Growth & Competitiveness, was held under the auspices of the ministry of Rural Development and Food, the ministry of Macedonia and Thrace and supported by the embassies of the United Kingdom and The Netherlands in Athens.
Greece is among the eurozone countries which register a significant output in organic agricultural and livestock products, with 4 million hectares of cultivated land of organic crops.
According to data provided by the president of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements Europe Group (IFOAM-EU), Christopher Stopes, there are 21,270 active organic producers in Greece and 1257 companies with an annual turnover of about €58 million, as well as 48 specialised local markets.
"Greece may not be able to feed the entire world, but it can offer products of geographical origin and high added value," the head of the EU Task Force for Greece, Horst Reichenbach said addressing the conference, adding that the small but resilient during the crisis size of the agricultural sector may turn out to be a major advantage. For this to happen, however, a series of initiatives should be channelled towards the cultivation of "products with a recognised ID," through the establishment of certification and quality control procedures, training of local producers and a more direct link of tourism with the agricultural economy.
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