2023 was a record year for fruit and vegetable exports, according to estimates from the Association of Greek Fruit, Vegetable and Juice Traders INCOFRUIT-HELLAS, citing 11-month data ΕΛΣΤΑΤ.
In 2023, exports of fruits and vegetables increased by 21% in in value terms, reaching 1.7 billion euros compared to 1.399 billion euros in 2022. By volume exports in 2023 recorded an increase of 8.5% compared to the previous year, reaching 1.7 million tons compared to 1.595 million tons a year earlier.
According to the same data, up to November 2023, exports of fruit and vegetables increased by 10.2% in volume and 20.7% in value, reaching a total of 1.537 million tons and 1.490 billion euros respectively, compared to 1.395 million tons and 1.234 billion euros (for the corresponding period of 2022).
The weighted average export price was +9.5%, with the exception of winter fruits and vegetables, which, according to November data, exceeded 30%. However, the association estimates that climate change is a critical factor for future production and exports.
As Georgios Polychronakis, special adviser to the association, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, “the review of the current regulatory framework, both national and public, is considered decisive for the future, which gives priority to the control of the management of agricultural activities.”
An additional challenge he notes is a “labor” shortage, which increases labor costs in a sector where labor can account for up to 45% of production costs for some crops. By September 2023, imports in the European Union increased in value terms by 12% compared to the same period in 2022, reaching 13.907 million euros.
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