In the first half of 2024, Greece has experienced a notable 12.49% rise in fruit and vegetable imports, reaching a total of 420,525 tons, up from 373,845 tons during the same period last year. This data, reported by INCOFRUIT-HELLAS, the Association of Greek Fruit, Vegetable, and Juice Exporters, underscores a robust expansion in foreign produce entering the country.
George Polychronakis, a consultant for the Association, highlighted the ongoing growth in fresh fruit and vegetable imports, noting heightened competition from international markets. He pointed out that Greece, despite its capacity to produce certain fruits and vegetables in sufficient quantities for both local consumption and export, continues to import tropical products not native to its climate.
The statistics reveal varied trends across different categories: imports of potatoes, primarily sourced from Egypt, France, and Cyprus, surged by 18.39%; banana imports, predominantly from Ecuador, Colombia, and Costa Rica, increased by 7.75%; however, onion imports from Austria, the Netherlands, and Germany saw a significant decline of 59.41%.
Import levels for tomatoes, peppers, apples, avocados, kiwifruit, oranges, lemons, and mushrooms also exhibited fluctuations, with Turkey, Jordan, North Macedonia, the Netherlands, Iran, Egypt, Poland, and Romania emerging as key suppliers.
Polychronakis stressed the importance of maintaining stringent EU standards for quality, labor conditions, and pesticide use for all imported goods. He emphasized the critical role of Greek control authorities in ensuring compliance through rigorous inspections, thereby upholding commercial quality standards and guaranteeing the absence of pesticide residues.
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