The comparative advantages that the country has in the development of the primary sector and the emphasis that YPAAT places on research and innovation through its “development arm”, ELGO Dimitras, were particularly emphasized by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, during the today’s visit to the Organization’s facilities in Thermi.

“The primary sector has been prioritized in Greece’s policies,” said Mr. Tsiaras at the meeting he had with the management and members of the scientific and administrative staff of the Organization. “It is” he added “one of the major priorities now in all fora and in all discussions of the European Union, so it is a time when we must seriously plan by creating and highlighting real goals to give our country the opportunity to have a leading role in the European family. Greece has many comparative advantages in terms of soil and climate with truly unlimited potential with an important role for the benefit of people, local societies, and the homeland.

“We know very well that our country has many comparative advantages in the development of the primary sector, it is a debt and our effort to highlight these comparative advantages, thus giving a great possibility and a great perspective to all its activity” emphasized Mr. Tsiaras.

The minister and deputy minister Chr. Kellas were informed by the two vice-presidents of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization – Dimitra, Nektarios Vidakis and Panagiotis Chatzinikolaus about his work “running” programs and investigations of the FSA and other ministries. The Thermi facilities, where 200 people work (70 of which are researchers at various levels), house four of the Organization’s 11 Institutes. The minister and the deputy minister were given a tour of the Institutes of Plant Genetic Resources, Veterinary Research and Soil-Water Resources and were informed about the progress of their research projects.

“It is a fact, commented Mr. Tsiaras, that research and innovation cannot but be key pillars in an effort to change data, to improve this entire production process, and of course it is a given that ELGO Dimitras contributes and will contribute in this direction and in the future the best.