According to Novacert, the largest consulting company in Greece, the first shipment of kiwi fruit bound for South Korea was exported on January 26. This new and significant market for Greek kiwi fruit was opened after a long and strenuous process involving the creation of customs and phytosanitary protocols between the two countries, which started in 2019 and was upended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is worth noting that the export of the first consignment has even more added value, as it takes place in the context of a European campaign to promote fresh fruit produced in Greece. Namely, the “Delicious Fruits” European program aims at enhancing the image of EU fresh and processed fruit and vegetable products, promoting and increasing consumption in third countries (S. Korea, Vietnam, Japan) and is being implemented by the Consortium of Producer Group Cooperatives of Imathia through Novacert. The checking and sampling as well as the loading procedure from the facilities of the Agricultural Coop. of Fruit & Vegetable Proc. Trad. of Naoussa “Asepop” was supervised on behalf of the cooperative by Mr Vassilis Bougas, by Mr Kostas Beis and Ms Olga Tsehelidou, executives from the Department of Agricultural Economy and Veterinary Medicine of the Region of Imathia, by executives from the departments of export promotion and quality control at Novacert, as well as by South Korean controllers through live streaming.
New trade routes, new prospects
It is evident that from now on the prospects of Greek fruit exports have taken a new dynamic turn for the better, as a result of the coordinated efforts and excellent cooperation between the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food and the Greek production/export agencies, especially since new trade agreements with countries such as Japan, Thailand and Vietnam, are slowly but surely going into effect. It is also common knowledge that Greek fruit are currently seeing a boost in exports due to changed consumer habits and their widely recognized superior quality and nutrition profile.
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