Sales of Greek peaches and nectarines are taking place under intense pressure this year, according to Mr. Christos Alagiozidis, owner of the packing company Alagiozidis Fruits, based in Imathia. As he explains, "This year there's more pressure on a daily basis coming from all sides: from suppliers, from buyers, from our own staff. It's only natural—when the available product is down by 50–60%, the job becomes more demanding. Buyers this season are settling for nothing less than a perfect peach."
© Alagiozidis Fruits
The Greek trader emphasizes that this pressure is due to the higher prices of fruit: "Peaches are bought from growers at €1,10 to €1,40 per kilo, depending on quality. Nectarines, as always, are more expensive, reaching up to €1,70 per kilo. So, it's perfectly understandable—when a buyer is paying around two euros, they're not going to compromise on anything but a flawless, top-quality fruit."
"The prices of Greek fruit have discouraged importers from the Netherlands, who are now turning to Spanish products, which they can find at €0,20 to €0,30 per kilo cheaper. However, Germany and Poland continue to buy Greek produce," he adds.
© Alagiozidis Fruits
Meeting the quality demands of buyers has become a major challenge for Greek exporters this season. "When last March's frost dramatically reduced the productive capacity of the trees, many growers, faced with such a limited expected yield, naturally saw no point in investing in spraying or in other care practices that could have led to fruits of better quality. So, it's not easy to gather the volume of high-quality fruit that the market wants. For example, plums are so scarce this year that we haven't even bothered to work with them," Mr. Alagiozidis points out.
© Alagiozidis Fruits
However, the late peach varieties expected to reach the market in the coming period may help improve the situation. "We're now approaching the end of the season, and only a few varieties remain to be harvested in Imathia. We're seeing that their trees are better loaded, and we expect a broader range of options, especially in terms of quality. Perhaps the increased availability will also positively affect prices for us," Mr. Alagiozidis concludes.
For more information:
Christos Alagiozidis
Alagiozidis Fruits
Tel: +30 23310 51313
Email: [email protected]
https://alagiozidis-fruits.gr/en/
