The horticultural sector in Greece is about to embark on a major modernization process. While the economic crisis, followed by Corona, halted investments in greenhouse production of vegetables in recent years, the export of those vegetables from Greece to the Netherlands increased. In the same period, we saw a strong increase in production volumes in the fruit segment. As a result of the current favorable political-economic climate, Greek horticultural entrepreneurs are expected to invest heavily in further modernization in the coming years. This offers great opportunities for the Dutch horticulture business community.
Curious about what this can mean for you? Then keep July 1st, from 13:00-14:00 (14:00-15:00 Greek time) free in your agenda. We will then organize the webinar “Opportunities for Greek- Dutch partnerships to modernize the horticulture sector in Greece”. During the webinar it will become clear where your opportunities lie in this upcoming modernization. The webinar is the result of an extensive sector study that was carried out on behalf of the Dutch Embassy in Athens.
Why this webinar?
Since last year, overall fruit and vegetable exports from Greece have risen sharply, and this trend is expected to continue. Important sales markets for vegetables are in particular Germany, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania, while Egypt is a growth market for Greek fruit. The Netherlands is an important buyer of Greek berry growers, especially their strawberries and blueberries.
However, the productivity of Greek horticulture is still far behind that of the Netherlands. This now seems to be changing. Greek producers are increasingly investing in high-tech greenhouses and technology, often of Dutch origin. Due to the changing markets these producers understand better than anyone that they need to modernize in order to meet the high standards of the retail market
– both at home and abroad. This leads to an increasing demand for digital applications and technology. This demand is being stimulated by EU and Greek incentive funds to further promote sustainable horticulture production.
For which entrepreneurs is this interesting?
The webinar takes a closer look at where exactly the opportunities lie for Dutch entrepreneurs. These are found in the provision of integrated solutions for increasing production in the greenhouse (vegetables) and starting material and adding value on the land (fruit). This will go hand in hand with a need for technological knowledge and research, which offers opportunities for Dutch consultants and knowledge instiutes.
Program
Speakers:
H.E. Mr. Spilios Livanos, Minister of Rural Development and Food, Greece
Mr. Maurits ter Kuile, Charge d’Affairs, Embassy of The Kingdom of The Netherlands, Greece Mr. Pieter Helfferich, Abribusiness Consultant, Agriprogress Nederland
The webinar starts with a brief background of the study. We then present findings on Greek-Dutch trade flows and Greek horticulture production. From there, opportunities for potential Dutch-Greek business partnerships are shared, and we look at recommendations to Greek producers, government agencies and knowledge institutes to realize their planned modernization. From this context, we zoom in on possibilities that are now available for both Dutch and Greek entrepreneurs, and on the facilitating role that the Dutch Embassy can play. Finally, as a real-life example, we look at the various fields of expertise of a group of Dutch companies that have indicated to want to take the step towards the Greek horticultural sector.
Participation and costs
The webinar will take place on Thursday July 1st , from 13:00-14:00 (14:00-15:00 Greek time). Participation is free. The language of the webinar is English.
Sign up by e-mail via the following link: click here
Organization
The organization of the webinar is in the hands of the Dutch Embassy in Athens, in collaboration with the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
Want to know more?
If you have any questions about this webinar, please contact:
Rannia Savvaki, Senior Economic Policy Officer
Economic Department of the Dutch Embassy in Athens
