The pillars that will support the country's agricultural production

Interventions on a number of key issues are planned to be made in the immediate future by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Spilios Livanos, with the aim of improving the quality and support prospects of the productive sector of our country while strengthening its competitiveness at international level.

These, as stressed to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency executives of the ministry include, among others, «The improvement of the functional capabilities of the laboratory infrastructure of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food in the field of combating zoonoses and animal diseases and the improvement of laboratory infrastructure in the field of pest control for plant health to ensure exports of plant products, the adequate control of imported products and the certification of domestic multiplication of plant products, the control of plant diseases and the control of plant diseases.

Other actions proposed relate to the safety and quality of food of plant origin and the specific promotion of PDO and PGI products will also be attempted.

The difficulty of the whole project lies in the fact that the budget of the Sectoral Development Programme of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development amounts to 28 million euros, with these interventions that are being prepared costing much more money.

The land reclamation

Land reclamation works are an important parameter for the development of the primary sector. The design and construction of land improvement infrastructure with particular emphasis on irrigation projects ensures a reduction in the cost of water input to agriculture, an increase in the added value of the products produced and ultimately an improvement in the competitiveness of agricultural holdings in Greece.

«The implementation of sustainable policies for the development and management of water resources, through the design, implementation and optimal operation of infrastructure projects and management interventions for both supply and demand of irrigation water, is a priority of the Ministry of Agriculture and leads to an increase in the efficiency of water use in agriculture,» the same officials told RES-MPA.

It should be noted, however, that many of the planned major land reclamation projects, worth hundreds of millions, are funded by the NSRF, in which they have already been included.

Checks at the borders too

With regard to border controls in the country, the construction of infrastructure and appropriate equipment for control at entry points is an immediate priority for the country, the ministry officials stressed.

With the planned interventions, the aim is to ensure public health and the quality of the products offered to consumers, an inelastic obligation of the country with implications for the sustainability and sustainable development of plant capital, the social cohesion of the countryside and the strengthening of export activities of agricultural products of plant origin.

Strengthening laboratories

Modernisation is also expected in the laboratory structures. The aim is to maintain the highest possible level of quality in all physical, chemical and biological laboratory analysis parameters carried out, ensuring the sustainability of plant and livestock farms and the protection of consumers and the environment.

At the same time, as sources from the Ministry of Rural Development and Food told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, «the modernization of the experimental structures leads to the utilization of domestic biodiversity, ensuring certified propagating material, agriculture with reduced inputs, reduction of environmental burden, production of quality and safe agricultural products of high commercial value.».

Promotion of PDO - PGI

Particular emphasis will be given to the specific promotion of PDO and PGI products. This is planned to be done through specific actions, such as direct and indirect advertising in print and electronic media, through exhibitions, among others, which mathematically lead to a better positioning of these products and the building of the «Greek brand name».

As regards the plant health sector, the development of appropriate laboratory infrastructure and greenhouse facilities for the control of pests of plants and plant products will ensure the viability of plant capital against new threats of quarantine organisms, enhance exports of fruit and vegetables to third countries and safeguard domestic plant genetic resources.

Preventing nationalisations

Regarding the big «thorn» of Greek imports, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, the big problem is the «lack of an organized and reliable system for monitoring the progress of meat and milk, which results in their import to Greece from neighboring countries and their subsequent “Greekization”.

The plan to address this issue foresees the creation of digital tools to interconnect all stakeholders in order to develop an efficient and reliable electronic traceability system for the movement of milk and meat.

Agricultural research

Finally, in the area of agricultural research, the proposed actions aim to improve a wide range of areas such as precision agriculture, controls, plant genetic resources, etc.

In particular, precision agriculture is a new trend in the primary sector to manage inputs more efficiently and maximise crop yields.

This, according to the ministry's officials, combined with the study and the «integration of practices that maximize the environmental benefits of agricultural activity, which at the same time limit environmental degradation and support environmentally friendly agricultural practices with simultaneous efficient use of resources, can contribute significantly to increasing the added value of the products produced and improve the competitiveness of the farm».

Th. Papakostas