The 2023 expected to be record year for fruit and vegetable exports according to the estimates of the Association of Hellenic Enterprises Exporting, Trading Fruits, Vegetables and Juices, INCOFRUIT-HELLAS, citing data from the 11th month of ELSTAT.

Specifically, the exports fruits and vegetables are provided to increase by 21% in value in 2023, and will reach 1.7 billion euros, compared to 1.399 billion euros in 2022.

As for him volume of exports, is expected to grow by 8.5% in 2023, compared to the previous year, reaching 1.7 million tons against 1.595 million tons in the previous year.

According to the same data, until November 2023 fruit and vegetable exports increased by 10.2% in volume and by 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 in 11 months of 2022.

The weighted average export price was +9.5%, except for winter fruits and vegetables, which, based on November data, exceeded 30%.

However, according to the Association’s estimates, climate change is a determining factor for the future of production and exports.

As the Association’s Special Adviser, Giorgos Polychronakis, told the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, “the review of the current regulatory framework, both national and community, is also considered decisive for the future, which gives priority to the control of the management of agricultural holdings and environmental theses, without taking into account the specific characteristics of fruit and vegetable production and its ability to contribute value to the economy and society”.

An additional problem he notes is the shortage of land workers “which increases labor costs in a sector where labor can account for up to 45% of production costs in some crops.”

21.5% increase in agricultural products

According to the same data, the exports of Greek agricultural products increased in the 11th month of 2023 to 9.91 billion euros compared to 8.88 billion. euros in the same period of 2022.

They represent 21.4% of total Greek exports, compared to 17.9% in 2022, while contributing an additional 1.2 billion euros to the reduction of the country’s trade deficit.

Imports continued their upward trend, with the main “cause” being the increase in tourist traffic in our country.

Until November, imports increased by 11.4% in volume and 8.5% in value, reaching 748,000 tons and 713 million euros.

Exports Europe

By September 2023 in the European Union, imports from third countries had increased by 12% in value, compared to the same period in 2022, reaching 13,907 million euros.