Moschos Korasidis, the general manager at ETHEA, the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, highlighted a deficit of approximately 70,000 workers in the agricultural sector, as reported to Kathimerini. This shortage is expected to affect various regions, disrupting the harvest of olives, vegetables, and fruits. Korasidis emphasized the immediate effects on the olive harvest, already delayed by drought conditions, and anticipated problems with other crops requiring intensive labor, such as strawberries.
The shift of workers towards tourism, especially on the islands, exacerbates the issue. Despite efforts to mitigate labor shortages through bilateral agreements with Egypt and Bangladesh, results have been limited due to bureaucratic delays. Korasidis underscored the importance of timely labor arrival for agricultural operations, stating, "Timing is critical, particularly in the agricultural sector. There's no point in a worker arriving even a few days after the harvest."
Source: Ekathimerini