Greek PM visits central vegetable market in Rentis

The Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the central vegetable market of Athens, in the area of ​​Agios Ioannis Rentis, in the morning.

The Prime Minister spoke with producers and wholesalers about the challenges posed by the global energy crisis, the Russian invasion of Ukraine (as Russia and Ukraine are two of the largest exporters of food and fodder) and the waves of bad weather that affected many crops, as well as the issue of market price increases and their impact on consumers.

Vegetable market players said they expect things to get better in the coming months, as they expect a very good tourist season and traders in Rentis are major players in the catering industry.

The Prime Minister was particularly interested in Greek production and its contribution to the market, with traders replying that almost 70% of their goods are domestically produced, while noting that many Greek products are recognizable abroad thanks to their quality.

Traders and producers assured Kyriakos Mitsotakis that to date there is no question of adequacy in fruit and vegetables. “The market, with coordinated actions of companies, will ensure adequacy,” the CEO of the Central Markets and Fisheries Organization, Apostolos Apostolakos, told the Prime Minister.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, for his part, noted that the state has taken measures to support the rural world, which will also benefit from the return of the EFK for agricultural oil in 2022, the subsidy of 80% of the electricity adjustment clause for agricultural holdings and the transfer of feed and fertilizers to the low VAT rate of 6%.

Special mention was made of the digital upgrade of the infrastructure of the vegetable market, which now includes an application that allows better and faster ordering.