Agriculture in Greece

Overview of agriculture in Greece

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Valley of Messara, Crete Economy of Greece

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Agriculture in Greece is deeply rooted in history, and based on its Mediterranean climate. This practice encompasses a wide array of crops, including olives, grapes, citrus fruits, cereals, and vegetables, with a notable emphasis on olive oil production, establishing Greece as a global leader in this industry. The country's vineyards produce tons of grapes and also yield renowned wines. Greece also produces a wide variety of livestock products. Fisheries are playing an important role while forestry plays a secondary role.

Greek agriculture is based on small, family-owned dispersed units. Currently, 47,9% of agricultural land is arable land, 27,4% is composed of tree plantations, 2,1% is composed of vines and 22,4% is composed of other cultivations (mostly used as pasture land).[1] Greek agriculture employs 615,000 farmers, 12,4% of the total labor force.[2] It produces more than 4,2% of the national GDP,[1] occupies 2.824.449 hectares of land and is the main source of occupation for the majority of rural areas in the country.

## Current production

[edit]

Currently, Greek agriculture like other countries of the European Union is heavily subsidized by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Certain deductions of subsidies are planned within the next decade.[3]

Greece produced in 2018:

* 1.2 million tons of maize;
* 1 million tons of olive (5th largest producer in the world, behind Spain, Italy, Morocco and Turkey);
* 1 million tons of wheat;
* 968 thousand tons of peach (3rd largest producer in the world, behind China and Italy);
* 933 thousand tons of grape (19th largest producer in the world);
* 913 thousand tons of orange (17th largest producer in the world);
* 837 thousand tons of cotton;
* 835 thousand tons of tomatoes;
* 630 thousand tons of watermelon;
* 465 thousand tons of potato;
* 353 thousand tons of sugar beet;
* 344 thousand tons of barley;
* 285 thousand tons of apple;
* 265 thousand tons of kiwi (5th largest producer in the world, behind China, Italy, New Zealand and Iran);

In addition to smaller productions of other agricultural products.[4]

## Modern history

[edit]

See also: Agriculture in ancient Greece

### 19th century

[edit]

Exportation of raisin; port of Patras, late 19th century Greek green olives

In the 19th century, Greek agriculture was very basic. Implements found in western Europe had not yet appeared. The following description was reported by William Henry Moffett, American Consul in Athens and was published in the American periodical Garden and Forest (Volume 2, Issue 95, 18 December 1889, p. 612: published by Garden and Forest Publishing Co., Tribune Building, New York, N.Y.):

William H. Moffett, United States Consul at Athens, reports the impossibility of making any official statement as to the agriculture of Greece, because "agriculture is here in the most undeveloped condition. Even in the immediate neighborhood of Athens it is common to find the wooden plow and the rude mattock which were in use 2,000 years ago. Fields are plowed up or scratched over, and crops replanted season after season, until the exhausted soil will bear no more. Fertilizers are not used to any appreciable extent, and the farm implements are of the very rudest description. Irrigation is in use in some districts, and, as far as I can ascertain, the methods in use can be readily learned by a study of the practices of the ancient Egyptians. Greece has olives and grapes in abundance, and of quality not excelled; but Greek olive oil and Greek wine will not bear transportation."

### 20th century

[edit]

Greek agricultural production was vastly expanded in the 20th century, as per the information given elsewhere on this page. In particular grain production (wheat, barley, etc.) has been significantly increased using more modern farming methods. Much of the research on soil classification, fertiliser use, and dissemination of improved agricultural practice was carried out starting from 1938 in the Kanellopoulos Institute of Chemistry and Agriculture.[5]

The main varieties of domestic wheat produced in Greece during 2002 were FLAVIO, VAVAROS and MEXA.[6]

In 2020 Greece had 530,679 farms, a 26,6% decrease from 2009 when it had 723,006 farms. 12,588 of those were certified organic or under conversion, a decrease of 23,5% from 2009 when organic farms amounted to 16,448, but at the same time the number of hectares certified as organic increased by 19,3% from 130.828 hectares in 2009 to 156.058 hectares in 2020.[1]

## Notable products

[edit]

Notable products include:

* Avgotaracho of Messolonghi
* Zante currant
* Greek wine
* Fava Santorinis
* Firiki Piliou
* Santorini tomato
* Krokos Kozanis (saffron)
* Menalou honey
* Florina pepper
* Rodi Ermionis
* Mastic (plant resin) of Chios
* Tobacco production (region of Macedonia)
* Tropical fruits (such as bananas and avocados) in Crete
* Carob

### Olive cultivars/varieties

[edit]

* Note: The below list is not considered exhaustive.[7][8][9][10]

Name  | Image  | Areas  | Description

|
|
|

Adramitini  |  |  |
Amfissas  |  |  | Alternate name is Amphissis
Amigdalolia  |  |  |
Athinolia  |  |  | Low viscosity
Chemlali  |  |  |
Conservolia  |  |  |
Daphnoelia  |  |  |
Frantoio  |  |  |
Gordal  |  |  |
Chalkidikis  |  | Chalkidiki | Green olives. Also known as Chondrolia and called "donkey olives". They have PDO status.
Hondroelia  |  |  |
Karidolia  |  |  |
Kalamatas |  | Messinia in Southern Peloponnese.  | Usually a brown or black table olive. When picked early, known as "pink" olives (reddish color). They have PDO status for the Kalamata region. Known as "Kalamon olives" outside this region.
Koroneiki |  | Messinia, Peloponnese, and Zakynthos.  | Cretan olives, referred also as elitses
Kothreiki  |  |  |
Lianolia  |  |  |
Mastoidís  |  |  |
Megaritiki  |  |  |
Mirtolia  |  | Mainly Laconia | Also Smertolia/Mourtolia
Nafpliou  |  | Valley of Argos in the Eastern Peloponnese peninsula.  | Usually a table olive
Patrinia |  | Primarily in Aigialeia.  | High oil concentration of around 25%
Picholine  |  |  | Also Marocaine
Throubes or from Thassos  |  | Island of Thassos | Naturally wrinkled when ripe and allowed to fall into nets. The only olives that can be eaten straight off the tree.
Throumbolia  |  |  |
Tsounati (Ladolia)  |  |  |
Valanolia  |  |  |

## Gallery

[edit]

* Vineyard in Naoussa, central Macedonia

* Assyrtiko grapes

* Sun-drying of Zante currant on Zakynthos

* Fish farming, Argolic gulf

* Cattle in Prespes

* Buffalos breeding, Lake Kerkini

* Fava Santorinis

* A herd of goats on the Greek highlands

* Beekeeping in Lesbos

## See also

[edit]

* Greek cuisine
* Economy of Greece
* Greek wild olive varieties

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Γεωργίας - Κτηνοτροφίας 2021". www.statistics.gr (in Greek). Piraeus: Hellenic Statistical Agency (ELSTAT). 2022. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
2. ^ "Στατιστικές Απασχόλησης". www.statistics.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Agency (ELSTAT). 7 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
3. ^ The Greek Observer Archived 2018-07-03 at the Wayback Machine:Vangelis Apostolou briefs Greek MEPs on EU’s post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (JULY 3, 2018)- Retrieved 2018-07-02
4. ^ Greece production in 2018, by FAO
5. ^ Polyzos, G.; Maistrou, E.; Mavrokordatou, D.; Mahairas, G.; Belavilas, N.; Papastefanaki, L. (2001). Greek Company of Chemicals and Fertilisers: Past and Future of a Historic Industrial Complex (PDF) (in Greek). Athens: NTUA, Department of Architecture. pp. 131–133\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
6. ^ S Sekliziotis (USDA): 2002-11-09 – Foreign Agriculture Service Retrieved 2012-06-09
7. ^ UCDavis.edu Archived 2021-01-26 at the Wayback Machine\- Retrieved 2018-07-02
8. ^ The olive centre\- Retrieved 2018-07-02
9. ^ Ghanbari, Rahele; Anwar, Farooq; Alkharfy, Khalid M.; Gilani, Anwarul-Hassan; Saari, Nazamid (2012). "Valuable Nutrients and Functional Bioactives in Different Parts of Olive (Olea europaea L.)—A Review". International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 13 (3): 3291–3340\. doi:10.3390/ijms13033291. PMC 3317714. PMID 22489153.
10. ^ The Spruce eats\- Retrieved 2018-07-02

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Greece topics

* Basic topics
* Alphabetical index of topics

History

| Prehistory (pre-1100 BC)|

* Neolithic Age
* Bronze Age
* Pelasgians
* Cycladic civilization
* Minoan civilization
* Helladic period
* Mycenaean period
* Bronze Age collapse

|

Antiquity (1100 BC-330 AD)|

* Greek Dark Ages
* Iron Age migrations
* Archaic period
* Greco-Persian Wars
* Classical period
* Delian and Peloponnesian League
* Peloponnesian War
* League of Corinth
* Wars of Alexander the Great
* Hellenistic period
* Wars of the Diadochi
* Roman–Greek wars
* Roman era
* Foundation of Constantinople

Middle Ages (330–1453)|

* Byzantine period
* Persecution of paganism
* Migration period
* Plague of Justinian
* Arab–Byzantine wars
* Iconoclasm
* Macedonian Renaissance
* East–West Schism
* Fourth Crusade
* Frankokratia
* Empire of Nicaea, Despotate of Epirus and Despotate of the Morea
* Fall of Constantinople

Early modern
and Modern era (post-1453)|

* Stato da Màr (Venetian Ionian islands, Kingdom of Candia)
* Ottoman Greece
* Modern Greek Enlightenment
* Septinsular Republic
* War of Independence
* First Republic
* Kingdom
* Balkan Wars
* World War I
* National Schism
* Greco-Turkish War
* History of Greece (1923–1940)
* Second Republic
* 4th of August Regime
* World War II
* Civil war
* Military junta
* Democratization
* Third Republic

By topic|

* Ancient regions and tribes
* Byzantine and Ottoman Greeks
* Christianization
* Colonization
* Coups d'état
* Demographic (Modern)
* Economic
* Geographical name changes
* Greek countries and regions
* Greek Muslims
* Renaissance scholars
* Hellenic languages and Proto-Greek
* Inventions and discoveries
* Language question
* Military
* Monarchy (Kings and royal family)
* Phanariotes
* Polis
* Population exchange of 1923

Geography

| Overview|

* Borders
* Cities (capital and co-capital)
* Extreme points
* Place names

|

Regions|

* Central Greece (Aetolia-Acarnania (Aetolia, Acarnania), Attica, Boeotia, Euboea, Evrytania, Phocis, Phthiotis, Saronic Islands)
* Crete (Chania, Heraklion, Rethymno, Lasithi)
* Cyclades (Andros, Delos, Kea, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Syros, Tinos)
* Dodecanese (Agathonisi, Astypalaia, Chalki, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kos, Leipsoi, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos, Kastellorizo)
* Epirus (Arta, Ioannina, Preveza, Thesprotia)
* Ionian Islands (Corfu, Ithaca, Kefalonia, Kythira, Lefkada, Paxi, Zakynthos)
* Macedonia (Chalkidiki, Drama, Florina, Grevena, Imathia, Kastoria, Kavala, Kilkis, Kozani, Pella, Pieria, Serres, Thasos, Thessaloniki)
* North Aegean islands (Chios, Ikaria, Lemnos, Lesbos, Samos)
* Peloponnese (Arcadia, Argolis, Corinthia, Laconia, Messenia, Achaea, Elis)
* Thessaly (Karditsa, Larissa, Magnesia, Trikala, Sporades)
* Thrace (Evros, Rhodope, Xanthi)

Terrain|

* Canyons and gorges
* Caves
* Geology
* Islands (Aegean, Ionian, Crete)
* Mountains (Olympus, Pindus, Rhodopes)
* Peninsulas
* Plains
* Volcanoes

Water|

* Coasts
* Lakes
* Rivers
* Mediterranean Sea
* Aegean Sea (Sea of Crete, Icarian Sea, Myrtoan Sea, Thracian Sea)
* Ionian Sea
* Libyan Sea

Environment|

* Climate
* Natural disasters (earthquakes)
* Ecoregions
* Environmental issues
* Forests
* Mammals and birds
* National Parks
* Protected areas

Politics

| Constitution|

* Constitutional amendments (1986, 2001, 2008, 2019)
* Constitutions (1822, 1827, 1844, 1864, 1911)
* Supreme Special Court

|

Executive|

* Cabinet
* Government (Government Gazette)
* President (Presidential Mansion)
* Prime Minister (Maximos Mansion)

Legislature|

* Conference of Presidents
* Hellenic Parliament (Speaker)
* Parliamentary Committees
* Presidium

Elections|

* Nationality law
* Parataxis
* Parliamentary constituencies
* Pasokification
* Political parties

Judicial system|

* Council of State
* Court of Audit
* Supreme Court

Security|

* Police
* Capital punishment
* Corruption
* Crime (Greek mafia)
* Life imprisonment
* Terrorism
* Coast Guard

Foreign relations|

* Aegean dispute
* Cyprus dispute
* Council of Europe
* European Union
* Macedonia naming dispute (Language naming dispute)
* NATO
* Passport
* Treaties
* United Nations

Military|

* Air Force
* Alliances
* Army
* Conscription
* Military ranks
* Navy
* Evzones (Presidential Guard)
* National Guard
* Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Social issues|

* Abortion
* Cannabis
* Education (universities)
* Healthcare (hospitals, obesity, smoking)
* Human rights
* Human rights abuses
* LGBT rights
* Prostitution
* Political scandals
* Racism

Ideologies|

* Conservatism (Monarchism)
* Fascism (Metaxism)
* Liberalism (Republicanism, Venizelism)
* Nationalism (Hellenocentrism, Megali Idea, Enosis)
* New Social Movements (Environmentalism, Feminism, Pacifism)
* Socialism (Laocracy, Trotskyism)
* Anarchism

Administrative divisions|

* Municipalities and communities
* Administrative regions
* Regional units
* Decentralized administrations

Economy

* Agriculture
* Airports
* Athens Stock Exchange (companies)
* Banking (Central bank)
* Central bank
* Brands
* Companies (electric power)
* Debt crisis (Grexit)
* Drachma
* Energy (renewable, nuclear)
* Euro coins
* Greece and the International Monetary Fund
* Greek economic miracle
* Highways
* Laiki agora
* Ports
* Public pensions
* Railways (history)
* Rankings
* Science and technology
* Shipping (Merchant Marine)
* Space Agency
* Subdivisions by GDP
* Taxation
* Telecommunications
* Thessaloniki International Fair
* Tourism
* Trade unions
* Transportation (Rio–Antirrio bridge, Athens Metro, Thessaloniki Metro)
* Water supply and sanitation

Society

| Demographics|

* Diaspora
* Greeks (names of Greece and the Greeks)
* Immigration
* Minorities (Muslim minority, Jews, Arvanites, Aromanians (Aromanian question), Megleno-Romanians, Slavophones, Roma)
* Women
* Life expectancy

|

Culture|

* Anastenaria
* Caryatid
* Clean Monday
* Concept of kingship
* Dress (Chiton, Chlamys, Exomis, Fustanella, Himation, Mariner's cap, Peplos, Perizoma, Tsarouchi, Vraka)
* Eastern Party
* Festivals
* Folklore
* Greek East and Latin West
* Greektown
* Hellenization
* Hospitality
* Carols (Christmas, New Year's, Theophany's)
* Mangas
* Mountza
* Naming customs
* Paideia
* Philhellenism and Hellenophobia
* Plate smashing
* Philosophy
* Public holidays (Independence Day, Ohi Day)
* Rouketopolemos
* Souliotic songs
* Theophany
* Tsiknopempti
* Units of measurement
* Worry beads

Art|

* Architecture (Castles)
* Cretan and Heptanese school
* Modern art (19th century)
* Theatre (Ancient)
* Religious art

Cuisine|

* Breads (Daktyla, Kritsini, Lagana, Paximadi, Tsoureki)
* Desserts (Diples, Halva, Koulourakia, Kourabiedes, Loukoumades, Melomakarona, Pasteli, Spoon sweets, Vasilopita)
* List of dishes
* Drinks (Mastika, Metaxa, Ouzo, Rakomelo, Sideritis, Tentura, Tsipouro, Tsikoudia, Frappé coffee)
* Cheeses (Anthotyros, Feta, Graviera, Kasseri, Kefalotyri, Ladotyri, Manouri, Metsovone, Mizithra)
* Filo (Amygdalopita, Bougatsa, Galaktoboureko, Karydopita, Spanakopita, Tiropita)
* Greek salad (Dakos)
* Meze
* Pasta (Gogges, Flomaria, Hilopites)
* Restaurants (Kafenio, Ouzeri, Taverna)
* Sauces (Skordalia, Taramosalata, Tirokafteri, Tzatziki)
* Souvlaki
* Varieties (Heptanesean, Cretan, Epirote, Macedonian)
* Wine (Agiorgitiko, Aidini, Assyrtiko, Athiri, Kotsifali, Lesbian, Limnio, Mavrodafni, Mandilaria, Malagousia, Malvasia, Moschofilero, Retsina, Robola, Savatiano, Vilana, Xinomavro)

Languages|

* Greek alphabet (History, Orthography, Diacritics, Braille, Cyrillization, Romanization (Greeklish) and numerals
* Greek language (Demotic, Katharevousa) and dialects (Cappadocian, Cretan, Cypriot, Greco-Australian, Maniot, Pontic, Tsakonian, Yevanic)
* Greek Sign Language
* History (Mycenaean Greek, Ancient Greek, Koine Greek, Medieval Greek, Modern Greek)
* Literature (Ancient, Medieval, Modern)
* Minority languages (Albanian language (Arvanitika), Aromanian, Balkan Romani, Bulgarian, Ladino, Macedonian, Megleno-Romanian, Turkish)
* Proverbs
* Words for love

Media|

* Cinema
* Internet
* Newspapers
* Television
* Media freedom
* Corruption

Music|

* Church music
* Dances (Ai Georgis, Angaliastos, Antikristos, Ballos, Dionysiakos, Fisounis, Gaitanaki, Geranos, Hasapiko, Ikariotikos, Kalamatianos, Kangeli, Kastorianos, Kerkiraikos, Koftos, Pidikhtos, Leventikos, Maniatikos, Metsovitikos, Ntames, Palamakia, Partalos, Pentozali, Proskinitos, Pyrrhichios, Rougatsiarikos, Sirtaki, Sousta, Syrtos, Trata, Tsakonikos, Tsamikos, Zeibekiko, Zervos)
* Éntekhno
* Folk music (Cretan, Epirote, Heptanesian, Macedonian, Nisiotika, Peloponnesian, Pontic, Thessalian, Thracian)
* Hip Hop
* Ionian School
* Laïko (Skyladiko)
* Musical instruments (Askomandoura, Aulos, Bouzouki, Byzantine lyra (Cretan, Macedonian, Politiki, Pontic), Crotala, Floghera, Gaida, Harp, Laouto, Lyre, Organo, Pan flute, Phorminx, Psaltery, Salpinx, Santouri, Souravli, Tambouras, Tambourine, Trigono, Tsampouna, Tympano, Zilia)
* Rebetiko
* Rock (Punk)

Religion and lore|

* Ancient religion (Origins, Modern Revival)
* Aerico
* Buddhism
* Catholicism
* Drosoulites
* Eastern Orthodox Church (Timeline: Antiquity, Early Middle Ages, Late Middle Ages, Early Modern Era, 19th century, Early 20th century, Late 20th century, Contemporary)
* Fairy tales
* Gello
* Greek Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Church of Greece, Flag)
* Greek Old Calendarists
* Hinduism
* Hypertimos
* Islam
* Judaism (History)
* Kallikantzaros
* Lamia
* Mormo
* Mount Athos
* Mythology (Primordial deities, Titans, Twelve Olympians, Heracles, Odysseus, Jason, Oedipus, Perseus, Daedalus, Orpheus, Theseus, Bellerephon, Satyr, Centaur)
* Nymph
* Protestantism
* Psychai
* Sikhism
* Thymiaterion
* Name days
* Vrykolakas
* Wayside shrine

Sport|

* Ancient Olympics
* Baseball
* Basketball
* Cricket
* Football
* Hockey
* Ice hockey
* Modern Olympics (1896, 1906, 2004)
* Rugby league

Symbols|

* Anthem
* Coat of arms
* Flag and national colours
* Flags
* Motto
* Orders and decorations
* World Heritage Sites

* Category
* Portal

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Agriculture in Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
*   * Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

Other entities|

* European Union

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