A major shift from Egyptian potatoes to French ones is taking place in Greece and other Balkan markets, according to Mr. Charalampos Bartzokas, owner of the Greek customs brokerage firm Bartzokas Co Hellenic Customs Brokers. As he stresses: "So far, 2.500 tons of Egyptian potatoes have been imported through Piraeus port, and about the same tonnage of Egyptian-origin potatoes has been imported through Thessaloniki port. This is a good beginning for imports. However, I don't think that this year Greece will reach its normal levels of Egyptian potato imports. On the contrary, I see an increased preference for French potatoes."
© Fotis Karabetsos | FreshPlaza.com
According to Mr. Bartzokas, the development seems to derive solely from price reasons: "So far, there are two Egyptian regions that were rejected due to quarantine pest cases recorded in Piraeus, and one rejected region due to a case recorded in Thessaloniki. I have also heard that one more region was rejected due to a case found in Italy. Nevertheless, market conditions are not favorable for Egyptian potatoes. I see the Central Market of Athens facing lukewarm demand, and, according to my information, I think that from next week we will already see reduced arrivals from Egypt."
"Egyptian potatoes leave Alexandria port at 0,30–0,38 euros/kg, while French potatoes leave Antwerp at 0,12–0,15 euros/kg. Notably, French potatoes were previously at 0,20–0,22 euros/kg. They arrive in Greece at prices lower than those at which Egyptian potatoes leave Alexandria port. They are very cheap, and from November until now, only through Piraeus port, 18.000–20.000 tons have passed. There are also imports through Thessaloniki, but I don't know the exact volume. It seems that the Greek market will continue to be supplied with French potatoes until May. And it is not only Greece; Balkan merchants who used to import French potatoes from Greece have started to heavily import French potatoes on their own this season," he adds.
© Fotis Karabetsos | FreshPlaza.com
Finally, Mr. Bartzokas talks about new bureaucratic burdens in import inspection tasks in Greece that negatively affect the quality of the imported fresh produce. Since 2025, Greece has put into effect a new inspection system (called "TEK") as a response to a major scandal involving untaxed products coming from China. According to Mr. Bartzokas, as well as other Greek customs brokers, this system complicates the inspection process, imposes unnecessary correspondence, and results in significant delays and the stalling of reefer containers, which can also be kept without electricity for hours, hampering the quality of the fresh produce inside.
For more information:
Charalampos Bartzokas
Bartzokas Co Hellenic Customs Brokers
Tel: +30 210 432 2717
Email: [email protected]
