The start of the Hayward harvest in Arta, in northwestern Greece, has been slow, as few fruits have reached the required Brix level in the first few days. "Most fruits are still at 5.5-5.8. It depends on the age of the trees. The younger they are, the faster they increase in Brix," says Mr. Angelos Xylogiannis, a member of the Arta Kiwifruit Farming Cooperative. As he estimates: "Τhe harvest in Arta will be completed around November 10."
© Arta Kiwifruit Farming Cooperative
Arta is entering this year's season with a reduced harvest but good fruit quality, according to Mr. Xylogiannis. "This year's production is 10–15% smaller than last year's. If we reach 20 tons per hectare, we will be satisfied. However, in terms of quality, things are going well. The shape of the fruits is good, and the sizes range from 27 to 30. This makes our region stand out this year from Imathia and Kavala, as the former, due to a lack of water, and the latter, due to frost during flowering, have not developed as many good fruits. Traders come here to find quite good kiwis."
However, the member of the local agricultural cooperative is cautious about whose hands the product will be in on November 1, when the marketing of Hayward begins. "The average grower price in our area is €1,10 per kilo, while for organic ones it reaches €1,30. I believe that prices will fall later. It is a problem that many growers may prefer to sell their fruits at lower prices, but without tax documents, to private traders instead of delivering them to the cooperatives. It happens every year," he says.
© Arta Kiwifruit Farming Cooperative
Arta is one of the regions where the new yellow KIKOKA varieties have been introduced, and Mr. Xylogiannis is among the producers who have invested in them. "This year, the harvest reached over 25–30 tons per hectare, and the average fruit size was 27. The hectare yields can reach up to 40 tons. The production is delivered to a specific trader. Whether the cultivation will expand with new producers will depend on the clearances and the trust that will be built," he concludes.
For more information:
Angelos Xylogiannis
Arta Kiwifruit Farming Cooperative
Tel: +30 26830 42070
Email: [email protected]
https://aseaartas.gr/en/
