The season for Greek strawberries started slightly early this year, thanks to the weather conditions, says Nikos Arvanitakis, sales manager of Arvanitakis Fruits, which manages the Fruiton brand: "This year's strawberry harvest is earlier compared to previous seasons, mainly due to favorable weather conditions during the planting period and afterwards. These conditions supported smooth plant development and allowed production to start earlier than usual, creating positive momentum for the season ahead."
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According to Arvanitakis, the primary sector, and the Greek strawberry industry in particular, operates in a highly competitive and demanding environment, with several challenges to overcome. "The current key challenges include increased growing and operating costs, labor availability, the effects of climate variability, and the growing requirements of international markets in terms of quality standards, certifications, and delivery consistency. At the same time, export-oriented companies face pressure on logistics and strong competition from well-established supplying countries. Our response to these challenges is a strong focus on consistent quality, professional planning of production and exports, and the continuous strengthening of the Greek strawberry's reliability and added value in European markets."
There have been several strikes and logistical disruptions in Greece over the past few weeks, which means the strawberry exporter has to adapt accordingly, Arvanitakis explains: "The ongoing strikes in Greece create an atmosphere of uncertainty across the logistics sector, affecting transportation planning and delivery schedules. This situation requires increased flexibility and close coordination with logistics partners and customers. While challenges exist, we are closely monitoring developments and adapting our planning to minimize disruptions and maintain our service levels."
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Greek strawberries are making their way into markets that would normally be supplied by the Spanish, which is a good opportunity to create trust, says Arvanitakis. "Currently, our main export destinations are Eastern and Central Europe. Our strategic objective is to expand further into Northern and Western European markets, which have traditionally been supplied by Spanish strawberries. Our goal is for these markets to increasingly trust Greek strawberries, recognizing their consistent quality and reliability. We expect the first major volume peak from early plantings towards the end of February and the beginning of March."
"We're currently in week 3, and the season has started very well. Markets are showing a strong interest in Greek strawberries, and trust in the product continues to grow year after year. Export volumes and values reach new record levels annually, clearly demonstrating Greece's strong potential in strawberries. In this context, the annual meeting at Fruit Logistica represents an important opportunity for meaningful discussions with both existing and new partners, aimed at further strengthening the international presence of Greek strawberries," Arvanitakis concludes.
For more information:
Nikos Arvanitakis
Fruiton by Arvanitakis Fruits
Tel: +30 262 307 2194
[email protected]
www.arvanitakisfruits.com
