The lowland of Agia in Larissa, Greece, is known for its apple production. However, the new season hasn't given traders reasons to cheer so far, due to several agronomic problems and export difficulties. According to Mr. Yorgos Zeikos, a farmer and president of the local cooperative A.C. Kissavos Agias, which, apart from apples, also focuses apricots and cherries, there will be an earlier than originally expected end to the marketing of Gala varieties:
"The losses suffered at the orchards before the harvest began were up to 30% of the normal production, due to adverse weather conditions during the summer, which caused as well a lot of small-sized fruits," explains Mr. Zeikos. Agia apples this year belong mainly to quality category 70-75, while there are many apples belonging to 65-70 and even 60-65. "This is something that has not occurred for years. There are really few big apples in Agia this year", Mr. Zeikos summarizes.
However, problems with the Gala variety occurred even at the post-harvest phase. "We observed more than usual softened fruits and of course cleared them out. We had to discard about 10% of the fruits received, but we did our best in sorting them and we can guarantee high-quality Gala apples until the end of September," Mr. Zeikos explains.
As for the so called in Greece normal red varieties, like Red Delicious, their harvest in Agia began during the first days of September. There's good news and bad news. "The good news," says Mr. Zeikos, "has to do with their excellent color, which was favored by some late summer precipitations and cloudy days. The bad news, is that considerable post-harvest losses may also occur here, again due to the extreme summer heat." There are also farmers speaking about 50 per cent losses due to the heat and the sunburnt apples, but Mr. Zeikos prefers to wait until mid-September, when the harvest will be in full swing, to provide data for reliable estimations.
However, what really concerns the Greek apple exporters is the challenges they face in sending their fruits to Egypt, their only significant foreign destination. Mr. Zeikos puts it clear: "The problem is the economic situation in Egypt. This country cannot offer us decent prices for the farmers. The apples leave Greece being cheap and arrive in Egypt as an expensive product." Finally, Mr. Zeikos says, many farmers have delivered their fruits to the packers without getting paid by them for yet another year. This in Greece is called 'open price'. The farmers wait for the apples to be sold and then they get paid according to their respective deliveries.
For more information
Yorgos Zeikos
A.C. Kissavos Agias
Tel: +30 24940 22261
[email protected]