To Greece, where "everything is"import fruits and vegetables

Imports of fruits and vegetables increased by almost 16% in the first ten months of 2023.

According to INCOFRUIT-HELLAS, the Association of Greek Fruit, Vegetable and Juice Exporting Companies, this year’s imports in October increased by 35.56% compared to the same month in 2022. Imports of fruits and vegetables increased by 15.97% in the 10th month of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, according to the INCOFRUIT-HELLAS Association.

The volumes received in our country during this period amounted to 547.34 thousand tons versus 471.95 thousand tons in 2022, with 74% of them coming from countries outside the “27” European Union.

According to the same data, compared to the first ten months of 2019, which was a record year with imports of 511,171 tons, in 2023 it is expected to grow by 7.1% due to a record influx of tourists to our country.

“Import of fresh fruits and vegetables indicates the constant development of foreign competition both in our country and in other community markets,” said the Association’s special adviser, Giorgos Polychronakis, to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, stressing, among other things: “It is necessary that food products sourced from third countries meet the same quality standards required by producers EU (farmers and breeders), with equal working conditions and the same use of plant protection products.” Hthe same was imported to Greece:

• Potatoes: 191,218 tons in ten months of 2023 versus 160,431 tons in 2022 (+19.2%) received (according to ELSTAT for 9 months) by 77.5% from Egypt, Cyprus and France.
• Bananas: 190,588 tons in ten months of 2023 versus 172,354 tons in 2022 (10.6%), 91.3% from Ecuador. Next come Costa Rica and Guatemala.
• Onion: 25,262 tonnes in the 10th month of this year compared to 6,575 tonnes last year (284.2%), with Egypt accounting for 40%, followed by India and Austria.
• Tomatoes: 23,508 tonnes for the same period this year, compared to 14,959 tonnes in 2022 (57.2%). 39.8% comes from Turkey (Greece received 6,500 tons in September-October alone) at a price of 0.96 euros/kg. Next come Poland and the Netherlands. According to the association, “import volumes already exceed the annual import of tomatoes into our country over the past six years.”
• Peppers: 4,864 tonnes, down from 5,548 tonnes in 2022 (-12.3%), came from the Netherlands (36.4%), followed by Turkey and the Netherlands.
• Lemons: 22,543 tonnes in the first ten months of 2023, down from 24,043 tonnes in 2022 (-6.2%), 43.4% coming from Argentina, followed by South Africa and Egypt.
• Apples: 8,650 tonnes in the first ten months of this year compared to 9,180 tonnes last year (-5.8%), 38.3% coming from Italy, followed by Poland and Germany.
• Anchovies: 1,961 tonnes between January and October 2023 versus 1,635 tonnes in 2022 (+19.9%), 18.1% coming from Italy, followed by the Netherlands and Spain.

Imports this year in October increased by 35.56% compared to the same month in 2022, according to INCOFRUIT-HELLAS. In particular, the volume of imports amounted to 48,381 tons compared to 35,689 tons in 2022, with the majority of bananas accounting for an increase of 2.7% (18,556 tons in October 2023 – 18,068 tons in October 2022). This is followed by potatoes with 11,552 tons compared to 7,100 tons in October last year (+62.7%), apples with 3,516 tons compared to 817 tons in October 2022 (+330%), tomatoes with 2,492 tons compared to 1,382 tons in October last year and lemons, with imports of 1,202 tons compared to 295 tons last year (+307%).

Mr Polychronakis noted “the rejection of three batches of lemons imported from Turkey due to excessive presence of pesticides, with a call to intensify the activities of the competent Greek services to control fresh fruits and vegetables circulating in our country.”

The question arises: why can’t Greece itself grow fruits and vegetables for the population of its country (without pesticides and according to EU sanitary standards)? And one more thing – why are imported fruits and vegetables cheaper?

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