Fruit and vegetable imports are up 12.49% in the first half of 2024, reaching 420,525 tonnes compared to 373,845 tonnes in the same period in 2023, according to data from the Association of Greek Fruit, Vegetable and Juice Exporters, INCOFRUIT-HELLAS.

Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, the Association’s Consultant, George Polychronakis, notes that “the import of fresh fruits and vegetables shows continuous growth of foreign competition both in our country and in other Community markets.”

According to him, “the import of fresh fruits and vegetables produced in our country in self-sufficiency in quantities that can meet domestic demand and the excess is exported, recording year after year records in both quantities and values. Imports of tropical products not produced in our country are perhaps justified.”

Specifically, according to the Association’s data, the following were imported:

– 200,752 tons of potatoes compared to 169,568 tons in the first half of 2023 (+18.39%) coming mainly from Egypt (77%), France and Cyprus.

– 133,001 tonnes of bananas compared to 123,439 tonnes in the first half of 2023 (+7.75%) mainly coming from Ecuador (93%) followed by Colombia Costa and Rica.

– 8,365 tonnes of onions, compared to 20,621 tonnes in the first half of last year, down 59.41% coming from Austria (42.6%), the Netherlands and Germany.

– 2,266 tonnes of tomatoes compared to 2,365 tonnes in the first six months of 2023 (-4.19%) from Turkey (55.9%), Germany and the Netherlands.

– 2,566 tonnes of peppers/sweet peppers against 1,871 tonnes in the first six months of 2023 (+37.15%) coming from Jordan (44%), the Netherlands and Israel.

– 12,247 tonnes of apples compared to 4,754 tonnes in the first half of last year (+157.61%) from North Macedonia (49.2%) Poland and Italy.

– 3,747 tonnes of avocados compared to 2,685 tonnes in the first half of last year (+39.55%) from the Netherlands (64.1%), Israel and Cyprus.

– 1,669 tonnes of kiwifruit compared to 574 tonnes in the first six months of 2023 up 190.77%, coming from Iran (75.5%) Italy and Spain.

– 2,847 tonnes of oranges compared to 2,740 tonnes in the first six months of last year (+63.62%) from Egypt (72%), Romania and Italy.

– 2,562 tonnes of lemons/sweet lemons against 2,315 tonnes in the first half of 2023 (+10.67%), from the Netherlands (50.2%), Turkey and Spain.

– 7,077 tonnes of mushrooms compared to 6,936 tonnes in the first half of 2023 (+2.03%), coming from Poland (91%), Romania and the Netherlands.

As Mr. Polychronakis stresses, fruits and vegetables coming from third countries are necessary “to meet the same quality standards required for EU producers, with equal working conditions and the same use of pesticides, as well as to seek as the Greek control authorities carry out strict controls for compliance with commercial quality standards and the absence of pesticide residues in imported products in the Greek market while ensuring their non-Greekization”.