Greek agri-food products have proven that they can withstand the crisis and hold their place in demanding markets even in unprecedented conditions such as the pandemic.
According to an analysis by the Panhellenic Exporters Association, on the provisional data of ELSTAT, agricultural products are the second largest category of exported products (excluding petroleum products) with exports amounting to 1.8 billion euros in the first quarter of 2021, ie 21% of total exports.
The largest category is industrial products: 4.26 billion euros or 48.6%, followed by petroleum fuels 2.13 billion euros or 24.3%. It is followed by raw materials with exports of 456.7 million euros or 5.2% and confidential products with exports of 109.9 million euros or 1.3%.Agricultural products include the categories of food and live animals, beverages and tobacco and oils – fats of animal or vegetable origin.
According to the data of PSE, during the quarter January – March 2021, a significant increase is recorded by the sectors of Chemicals (+ 21.7%), Machinery (+ 13.4%), Raw Materials (+ 33.7%) ) and the Beverages and Tobacco sector (+ 14.9%). The category of Petroleum-Fuels (+ 3.8%), Industrial (+ 8.2%), Food (+ 8.3%) and Miscellaneous Industrial (+ 0.7%) shows a smaller increase in exports. On the other hand, the sub-sector in relation to the exports of the first quarter of 2020, recorded the sector of Oils (-0.9%) and Confidential Products (-9.5%).
The 15 most important Greek exported agricultural products
The 15 most important Greek exported agricultural products in the world during the twelve months of 2020, according to the data of the PSE, were the categories:
- Other fish, fresh or chilled (except livers, eggs and semen)
- Other vegetables, prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar or acetic acid, not frozen
- Slice
- Virgin oil
- Apricots, cherries and peaches
- Other food preparations, not elsewhere specified or included
- Cigarettes containing tobacco
- Yogurt fortified or not containing sugar or aroma nuts or fruit
- Pitted fruits, m.c. fresh
- Other fresh fruits
- Oranges, fresh or dried
- Manufactured tobacco, tobacco extracts and tinctures, m.a.k.
- Tobacco without removing the stems
- Mixtures and pastries for the manufacture of bakery, confectionery or biscuit goods of subdivision 048.4
- Vegetables, fruits and nuts and other edible parts of plants, prepared or preserved by vinegar or acetic acid.
In the first three places with the most significant increase, in relation to 2019 are placed the categories:
Oranges, fresh or dried (44.9%),
virgin oil (41.1%),
Pitted fruits, m.c. fresh (38.7%).