Supporting the agri-food sector as a pillar of the development of the national economy is a strategic choice Bank of Piraeuswhich organized the event: “The next day of greenhouses in Greece”, on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, in Larissa.

The president of Piraeus, Mr. Georgios Khandzinikolaou, the CEO of Piraeus, Mr. Christos Megalou, the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr. Konstantinos Tsiaras, and the Regional Governor of Thessaly, Mr. Dimitris Kouretas, spoke about the sustainable footprint of greenhouse crops, during their brief greetings. .

“The use of greenhouses, as a way of cultivation, has significant comparative advantages in the new reality, shaped by the climate crisis and the increasing pressure to produce food of high nutritional value. For us in Piraeus, the modernization of the current infrastructure and the creation of new, modern greenhouses is a strategic priority,” pointed out the President of Piraeus, Mr. Georgios Khandzinikolaou.

The CEO of Piraeus, Mr. Christos Megalou pointed out that: “Piraeus actively supports the transformation of the agri-food sector. After all, Piraeus maintains a leading role in the financing of the agricultural sector in Greece, maintaining an 80% market share, with loans to farmers amounting to over €1 billion. Its new initiative is the modernization of greenhouses, as we believe that they contribute to resilience and increasing agricultural production, making it more sustainable, efficient and resilient to challenges. That’s why we created a new department, the Agri-Food Center of Excellence, which serves all participants in the agri-food value chain, from production and processing to wholesale and retail.”

The Minister of Agricultural Development and Food, Mr. Konstantinos Tsiaras, emphasized that: “The strengthening of greenhouse crops is the only way forward for agricultural production, since we want to support the primary sector, since our government recognizes the extremely important contribution it has , not only in the development of the Greek economy, but also of the Greek region, as well as in maintaining social cohesion. In the first phase, the investment resources reach 600 million euros, and include community aid of 50% from the SS CAP, 35% bank lending and 15% equity. At the same time, we are promoting cooperative schemes to deal with the problem of the fragmented lot, we are strengthening the Young Farmers program with subsidies of up to 40,000 euros and we are reducing production costs through tax reductions and the return of the tax on oil”.

The Regional Governor of Thessaly, Mr. Dimitris Kouretas focused: “Greenhouse crops are an answer to the climate crisis. It is a sustainable farming model over older farming practices, due to its friendlier environmental footprint and optimal use of the resources on offer. As a Region, we use every possible support in order to shape the agriculture of the future guided by research, innovation and their connection with production. It is encouraging that market players, such as Piraeus Bank, are moving in this direction by providing an integrated framework of financial support aimed at meeting the needs of our farmers. After all, Thessaly needs everyone’s support, in every reasonable way, for its reconstruction at every level”.

In the discussion that followed, and which was moderated by the Agricultural Retail Banking Senior Director Mr. Yannis Haniotakis, the speakers referred extensively to greenhouse cultivation techniques, hydroponics, agrovoltaics and their financial support from Piraeus.

Dr. Nikolaos Katsoulas, Professor of the University of Thessaly pointed out: “The development of greenhouses can be the accelerator of the development of the technological level of agriculture in our country. The drawing of a road map is necessary for a sustainable production model in Greek agriculture, as greenhouse agriculture will give us the possibility of increasing and improving the products produced, increasing exports and reducing imports of vegetable products”.
The CEO of Alagro, Mr. Nikos Moutevelis noted: “In Greece we now have the know-how and tools for a proper hydroponic installation, either in a new greenhouse or for the conversion of a conventional greenhouse into a modern hydroponic one. The agricultural, commercial and environmental benefits of hydroponics are enormous, as they allow us to cultivate even in barren areas, with a significant reduction in water and fertilizer consumption. A direct result of this is that safe, high-quality products reach consumers.”
Dr. Nikos Kanopoulos, CEO of Brite Solar said: “Triple use of land should be the goal when talking about greenhouse cultivation. Agri-PV is the photovoltaic technology that allows us to have weather-protected agricultural production, water management and energy production on the same piece of land.”

An extensive reference to the implementation of investments on behalf of the bank was made by the General Manager of Agricultural Banking of Piraeus, Mr. Alcibiades Alexandrou, who, among other things, focused on the fact that: “Piraeus meets all its customers who have invested in greenhouse crops and invites all young stakeholders to advise, finance and assist them during their investments”.

The event concluded with a constructive discussion, during which the importance of greenhouse cultivation was highlighted, especially in the affected area of ​​Thessaly, at a time when the climate crisis highlights the importance of the primary sector in the development of the Greek economy, but also in ensuring the nutritional adequacy of the country.