Increased by 31.36% are the imports of fresh fruits and vegetables in January 2024 according to data from the Association of Hellenic Enterprises Exporting, Trading Fruits, Vegetables and Juices INCOFRUIT-HELLAS, reaching 47,070 tons compared to 35,832 tons in the same month of 2023.

The biggest changes, in terms of quantities, are found in potatoesthe bananas and onions.

Specifically, they were introduced last month 15,110 tons potato compared to January 2023 (12,119 tons – 24.68%), coming from Egypt, Cyprus and France.

Regarding the bananasimports amounted to 19,551 tons compared to 17,099 tons last January (+14.34%), coming mainly from Ecuador, Costa Rica and Guatemala.

About imports onionsthey reached them 2,238 tons compared to 823 in January 2023 (170.9%), coming from Egypt, India and Austria.

According to data from the Association, the community imports of 2023, based on Eurostat are estimated by third countries to have increased by +32.9% in volume compared to 2022, reaching 16.289 million tons and with those of intra-community trade being reduced by -5.5% to 28.112 million tons.

Main third country suppliers are in order n Costa RicaThe Equatorthe Egyptthe South Africathe Morocco etc.

According to what the Association’s Special Adviser, Giorgos Polychronakis, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, “the increased EU imports from third countries are due to the existing deviation in labor, social, environmental issueswhich exists between Community and non-Community producers, which causes continuous development of imports both in the EU market and in Greek».

At the same time, he calls for the “freezing” of the negotiations of “agreements such as MERCOSUR, the non-ratification of the agreement with New Zealand and the “freezing” of negotiations with Chile, Kenya, Mexico, India and Australia”.

It suggests that the EU “adopts the principle that trade agreements to be negotiated in the future should incorporate ‘mirror clauses’, in application of the principle of reciprocity to avoid unfair competition”.

Finally, as he says in APE-MPE, fruit and vegetables entering European territory from third countries should meet the same quality standards required for producers (farmers and breeders) in the EU, with equal working conditions and the same use of plant protection products, as well as seeking that the Greek control authorities carry out strict controls to ensure compliance with commercial quality standards and the absence of pesticide residues in the imported products on the Greek market while simultaneously ensuring their non-Greekization”.