Greek fresh fruit and vegetable exports have recorded an increase of 37.8% in volume and 25% in value in the first quarter of 2016, compared to 2015.
This has been revealed by the latest data from ELSTAT, provided by the Association of Greek Fruit, Vegetable and Juice Exporting Companies (INCOFRUIT - HELLAS), which also predict that the country's fresh fruit and vegetable exports will increase by the end of 2016 compared to 2015 and will surpass 1.5 million tonnes.
Special adviser George Polichronakis said: "The export of fresh fruits and vegetables in the first quarter of 2016 increased by 37.8% in volume, compared with the same months of 2015 and amounted to 450,544 tonnes; the value of these shipments increased by 25%, reaching 241.226 million Euro.
In this period, vegetable exports increased by 31.4% in volume compared with the same months of 2015, totalling 66,976 tonnes, and their value grew by 21.2% to 54.061 million Euro.
Meanwhile, fruit exports skyrocketed, with 39% growth in terms of volume and 26.1% in terms of value, reaching 383,568 tonnes and 187.163 million Euro.
First on the ranking are strawberries, with a 161% increase in exports, followed by mandarins, with 85%, and apples, with 27%.
As regards vegetables, the most noteworthy growth was recorded by tomatoes, with 71.9%, and cucumbers, with 11.7%.
As for imports during the first quarter of 2016, those of vegetables fell by 13% in volume and 7.4% in value, although fruit imports increased by 7.1% in volume and 12.2% in value.
Source: sofokleousin.gr