FROUTONEA_UK_OCTOBER21

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Ownership
G. Orfanou & Co
Editor-Manager
Panagiotis Orfanos
Editor staff
Anna Makrigiorgou
Fotis Karampetsos
DTP
Yiorgos Vergouliades
Cover design
Aris Betchavas
Subscriptions
Christina Andreakou



ADVERTISED COMPANIES



COMPANY PAGE



MENELAOS 2ND COVER
TEX 1
MSC 3 In this issue
KIKU 7
DOLE 13 Apples: The Greek harvest is over. Time for sales
VELTIA 15
FRESKON 17 Kiwis: A crucial season is just around the corner
KAVALA COOP 19
HELLAGRO 24
Avocado: The Cretan production will be lower this year



4 REPORTAGE







MACFRUT 2021
A COMPLETE SUCCESS THANKS TO GREAT TEAMWORK




Piraccini: ‘There was a lot of enthusiasm in the air – a clear sign that the sector is at a turning point’.


















at a turning point. The large number of par-
ticipants shows just how committed the
sector is to this trade fair, which is Italy’s
showcase for fruit and vegetables from all
over the world, as well as its strong de-
sire to get together in person again as nor-
mal – something we were not able to do for
months. There was a lot of enthusiasm in
the air throughout the event, with a turn-
out that exceeded all expectations.’

High quality professionals and
visitors
But aside from the numbers, which are
not the only indicator of the success of a
The large number professional event, Piraccini added that
of participants shows it was ‘the high quality of the profession-
just how committed als and visitors that made the difference,
as well as the high-quality content of-
the sector is to this trade fair, fered: this is the distinctive and character-
which is Italy’s showcase istic feature of Macfrut, the only trade fair
for the fruit and vegetable supply chain.
for fruit and vegetables Macfrut is the result of great teamwork
Macfrut, the international trade fair for from all over the world, between the exhibitors, the Cesena Fiera
team and industry specialist partners with
the fresh produce industry, which took as well as its strong desire whom the major issues facing us in the
place from 7 to 9 September in Rimini, at- next few years were addressed: Agri2000
tracted a number of visitors that was un- to get together in person for biostimulants, Anbi and Cer for Acqua-
thinkable until just a few months ago. After again as normal – something campus, Ncx Drahorad for the Italian Berry
over a year and a half of virtual relation- Day, Agroter for retail, and Luciano Trentini
ships, the three-day event was the first in- we were not able to and Cermac for the dynamic areas”.
ternational trade fair for the fruit and veg- do for months In his closing remark, Piraccini talked
etable sector to be held in person and was about the future: ‘I would like to thank all
attended by 32,600 people. sector players who believed in this event.
Renzo Piraccini, President of Macfrut, We are already planning the next edition
explained: ‘This is a clear sign that we are that will be held from 4 to 6 May 2022.’



OCTOBER 2021

ÒApples TIME FOR SALES…






The apple harvest was completed without any problems from the weather and as it turned out, the vol-
ume of production in all red varieties is significantly reduced this year compared to a normal year!









The rains of September,
combined with the low
temperatures that occurred
at night, helped the fruits to

acquire a very good coloring
and this happened in all
the production areas of the
country





We are going through the last days of significant reduction in all productive areas
September and the apple harvest in the red of the order of 30%, while in the area of
varieties is in full swing, while in the Ga- Kastoria this reduction is bigger and reach-
la variety it is completed with the produc- es 50%, as stated by circles from Kastoria!
ers stating that they are satisfied with the Close to this fact we must also add that The commercial course
commercial development of this early vari- from the existing production, many apples Regarding the commercial course of ap-
ety and how not to be, after all, when the are hit by the hail. ples, what seems to be of concern to trad-
producer price formed in 45-60 cents/kilo! ers at the moment are low quality apples
It should be noted here that Gala apples A few good apples and especially those that have been hit
were absorbed by the domestic market, Based on the data of the report, we no- by hail. These categories of apples, which
while significant quantities were also ab- tice that good apples are few this year, as were mostly absorbed by Egypt, will have
sorbed by the Egyptian market. are the apples of the middle quality cat- strong competition with Polish production
egory. On the contrary, we have increased this year, which is significantly higher this
The red varieties quantities of apples of the low quality cat- year, and Poles will not look for prices to
The rains that fell in early September, egory, while close to these quality cate- sell it.
combined with the low temperatures that gories we must add another category, the However, the apples that have not been
occurred at night, helped the fruits to ac- one whose fruits have hail problems and in hit by hail, we estimate that they will be
quire a very good coloring and this hap- this category the quantities are not negli- absorbed relatively easily by the large
pened in all the production centers of the gible this year. market of Egypt, while those that have
country. Regarding the size of the fruits, Regarding the producer prices, the trade been hit by hail, as it seems, will be ab-
the initial estimates are confirmed that agreements have now been finalized and sorbed when the “right price” is found.
they said that this year the medium sizes in the area of Agia the prices are formed For apples of the upper and middle qual-
will be particularly high, but also the fact around the axis of 35 cents, in Kastoria at ity category there is no question of absorp-
that many apples will not have a satisfac- 45 and 55 cents in Pyrgos Kozani, but also tion, the only question is whether they will
tory shape! Now regarding the configura- in other areas that produce apples of high improve and whether the selling prices of
tion of theproduction volume, there is a quality. quality. the product after February!



OCTOBER 2021

6 INTERVIEW







“ENOUGH QUALITY


PROBLEMS THIS YEAR IN ALL VARIETIES”



Mr. Demosthenes Moussidis, President of GEOK Kastoria, cap-
tures the commercial scene at the end of the harvest of the early
varieties of apples.










DIMOSTHENIS MOISIDIS

PRESIDENT OF GEOK KASTORIA



Mr. Moissidis, how does the season
develop in early apples and what is
their quality?
The reduction of the early Gala variety in
Kastoria reaches 30%. This year our region
did not give more than 1,500 tons, while stantly decreasing, as the effects of the
our Cooperative distributed only 800 tons weather became more and more obvious.
of Gala. However, there were also prob- In the end, then, instead of 25,000 tons,
lems in the field of quality. Their quality it is a question of whether we will reach
was the worst of any year. Due to the un- 20,000 at the end of the harvest. Nor are It is not possible to store
favorable weather conditions, the fruit set we happy with the quality of the red ap-
was completely wrong. Many apples did ples. Only in their coloring do we record apples so far, as demand is
not acquire the right color and size, while positive developments. Indeed, in terms of very high and supply is very
many did not even have seeds inside. color we are absolutely happy.
low. The prices are the same,
What prices did the market give to the Are you currently handling all the pro- maybe in some cases better
Gala this year? duce you harvest or refrigerate?
We are not at all happy with this year’s It is not possible to store apples so far, than last year
Gala apples. There were no Gala left in the as demand is very high and supply is very
refrigerators, as the demand was high and low. The prices are the same, maybe in
they absorbed them immediately, the gen- some cases better than last year.
eral price level was not good. Prices did not ber of apples that reach our country from
exceed 0.70-0.75 euros per kilo for good What are the markets that absorb your Albania and Northern Macedonia and are
fruits, which were a minority, and 0.50 euros apples? sold as Greek apples.
per kilo for bad fruits, which were too many. The markets that will absorb a large
amount of our products this year are However, as far as we know Gala is
In the other varieties, after the Gala, Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Lebanon. I should first in preference when it comes to
what is the situation like? note here that Gala apples have not yet planting.
The fruits we get from the numerous red spread in the Greek market, which prefers Indeed, in Kastoria, out of the 1,500 new
varieties are very few. In our last conversa- Fuji, Golden Delicious, the various red va- or renewed acres of apple trees, 2/3
tion, at the end of August, I told you that rieties and finally Gala. However, our prob- concern the Gala variety, while all the
our estimates for their toning were con- lem in the Greek market is the total num- rest of the various red varieties.



OCTOBER 2021



8 INTERVIEW






























JÜRGEN BRAUN

CEO - KIKU GMBH


Mr. Braun, first of all, when and how
did the KIKU apple reach your hands?
It was November 1990, when my father
travelled to Japan looking for strains of
Fuji and he found this beautiful strain,
which strucked into his glance because of
it was more colored and striped. His taste
was super. So, he brought it to Italy, he
cultivated the first treed and after some
years of evaluations he chose the better
type and invented the Kiku Trademark.
Ever since you started marketing
KIKU, you have not stopped export-
ing it to new markets. What’s the
presence of KIKU around the world
today?
When I entered the company in 1999 we
were selling fruits. It was a kind of test-
“WE FOCUS ON HAPPY CONSUMERS, SATIS- ing our strategy. But since then, the things
have changed. We no more sell apples. We
FIED RETAILERS AND FAIR PAID GROWERS” are the owners of the trademark and we
license the marketers around the world.
We count 26 licensed partners in U.S.A,
South America, South Africa, New Zealand
and Europe and through them we bring the
Breeding an innovative apple and making profit of it is a compli- KIKU apples to 150 countries all over the
cated and difficult process but as KIKU proves, it can be successful world.
as well. Mr. Jürgen Braun, CEO of KIKU GMBH explains what Greece is another country where
makes KIKU apples so popular and makes a flash presentation of KIKU apples are marketed. Have you
the other branded products of his company. been satisfied with the collabora-
tions you have developed in Greece?
We are very happy with our partners



OCTOBER 2021

in Greece, ASEPOP Velventos. Our Greek
partners sell KIKU in Greece and Cyprus CRIMSON SNOW® : a brand for 365 days
and we are satisfied with the business
they are doing. After 20,000 tons sold in Europe, in 2021 the European club CRIMSON SNOW
will increase volumes to 30,000 tons, but above all, the commitment to quality
Let's talk about marketing. The suc- and sustainability increases.Klaus Hölzl, chief salesman at VOG, states about
cess of KIKU is not only based on its sales of the previous season: "For us it was the first sales year with a critical
quality but is also enhanced by clever volume, but the entrance into the club was very smooth, as other Partners
advertising campaigns. What is the did a great job in past. Now it´s about maintaining and expanding customer
philosophy behind this strong and network in Germany, Italy and Spain, as well as building new markets. We like
multifaceted promotional strategy? the Club, a group of heavyweights with a clear plan: the planting program of
KIKU exists for almost 22 years. It’s no 700 hectares is mostly done, therefore the Club will increase importance even
new in this sense, but the surface of the more. The supermarkets like the apples, the consumer is in love with CRIMSON
branded apples in the world is increasing. SNOW®, and the positioning is also very clear. This brand will give satisfactions
Since 1999 we look for constantly for the to everybody in the supply chain”.
best promotional strategy. So we analyze Jürgen Braun concludes: "The consumer is really stunned by our apple. At
the markets and at the end of the day we tastings, 90%+ want to buy it, all over Europe.
focus on two targets: First, the consum- At B2C level we are intensifying our activities
er, which is the one who buys the consum- on socials (Instagram, Facebook, Youtube)
er from the shelf. So you have to attract and at point of sale. We invest in some
and convince him to do it with a very ap- sporting activities and events, in winter
pealing lay out. The blue color of our box we support the FISIP (Italian Paralympic
combined with the red apples make a very Winter Sports Federation) while
good connection. Also, the name KIKU in summer we tread more
sounds and is pronounced easy and nice than 200 tennis clubs
all over the world. The attractiveness of with Ferrero’s “kinder
the apple must be there but each time the tennis” circuit, which
consumer bites the apple there must be a also includes stages of
“taste explosion”. wheelchair tennis for kids.”
The other target is the grower, who
should get not what is left but fair mon-
ey to invest in innovation in the future. So,
if you have a goof running system, a good We see this as a chance to go to the
“club”, then you have a happy consum- consumer and to show him what this ap-
er who buys again. It’s the philosophy of ple is. The pandemic makes it more dif-
fresh apple emotion that we implement. ficult since you cannot be at the sales
If the consumer is happy, then the retail- point, but through social media you can
er will be happy. We count 26 licensed do really many things and from Facebook,
partners in U.S.A, South Instagram etc we have more feedbacks
Turning to other issues, what pros- than ever.
pects do you see for red flesh apples America, South Africa, New
in the market and what activities do Zealand and Europe and Finally, on which project does your
you do in this area? company now work?
We have our own red flesh apple under through them we bring the We do a lot in Research and Develop-
the brand Red Moon. It’s a lot of time we KIKU apples to 150 countries ment about sustainability. We have hect-
are working on it. We want to go a slow ares and hectares of new varieties and
progress because red-fleshed apples is all over the world mutants but we are very severe in putting
something different. It’s not understand- all our efforts to get genetically better ap-
able for the consumer because it’s a red ples compared to the existing in the mar-
apple. kets. We are looking for resistant, robust
So we need to cut the apple and explain apples, with characteristics that enable
the apple. Taste and firmness is different the growers to plant these apples. We
and all this is due to the red pigments in- start our work looking for the right DNA
side the apple which on the other side that will help the growers to organize a
have also a very nutritional aspect. cultivation with less chemical footprint.



OCTOBER 2021

10 INTERVIEW
































FABIO ZANESCO

SALES & MARKETING
MANAGER, VIP





What volume does VIP estimate for its
own production? Could you please tell
us what the percentage of your organic
apples is and what the percentage of
We expect to go back to our near-normal “THERE IS A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM THE
the club varieties?
potential of 340.000 tons gross. Organ-
ic apples represent near 20% of our sur- OLD TO THE NEW CROP”
face and are estimated at 45.000 tons in
2021. Club Varieties are growing progres-
sively but most of the plantings are still in
the first phases: total estimated volume in The trading of the Italian apples of the new season has started
2021 is around 20.000 tons. and Froutonea talk the sales & marketing manager of VIP Con-

How was the balance between the of- sortium, Fabio Zanesco, about the current commercial scene.
fer and the demand during this first
phase of the new season and what
about prices? Are there any significant quality apples are in good demand, we will apples?
stock volumes from the last season in see how this evolves in the next weeks, as Surely the forecasted figures paint a
the Italian warehouses? more and more production areas will ap- more challenging scenario if compared to
Stock from last year is nearly deplet- proach the market with growing volumes. the last two season – which were in the
ed, we will continue in September with the EU in the mid-ten million tons – but we are
last Golden Delicious, to connect in Octo- Poland enters the new season with a ready to go near full sales potential and all
ber with the new season. We have start- very big volume of apples, while the markets are waiting for the new crop. The
ed at the beginning of September with our general European apple production is Polish situation will be surely tense, but
new SweeTango® and Gala, and the re- expected increased. Do all these fac- the processing market is waiting to receive
quest has been dynamic even if only limit- tors shape a more difficult scenario for more apples, and this could re-equilibrate
ed volumes were available. Good size and the commercial season of the Italian the prices in a positive way, putting a bet-




OCTOBER 2021

ter bottom-line. One key factor will be the
price and availability of reefer container to
export extra-EU: the international picture
is very complicated, but we will see what
happens in the next months.

Comparing the Italian and the Polish
apple industry, which are the advan-
tages of the Italians and which are
their weak points against the Polish?
Italian apple production is state-of-the-
art for cultivation methods, overall quality, but these increased costs will have to be
new varieties, technology, and supply ca- somehow distributed along the fruit sup-
pabilities. This obviously come with a cost, ply chain.
and specifically a production cost that
must be higher than average. I believe with Finally, we observe a year on year de-
have to work – as we do – with all produc- crease of the Golden and Red Delicious
ers and our Polish colleagues to support cultivation and, on the other side, an
The stock of apples from consumption and to give to the market increase of the Gala cultivation and of
the last season is over now. healthy and better apples. To ensure that the organic cultivation. Up to which
next generation will also enjoy our fruits!
point will this trend continue?
September went on with Gala is now by far the most “internation-
the last Golden Delicious Apart from Europe, are there any dis- alized” variety, i.e. present in every mar-
tant markets that VIP is focusing on?
ket and progressively growing. I think this
fruits in order to start selling How do the current deficit of contain- trend will continue for some more years,
the new crop in October ers, or other factors affect your export at least until the economic equilibrium will
plans?
be acceptable. On our side, we are reduc-
Surely the Middle East, India and South- ing our Golden and Red Delicious share to
East Asia are very interesting, and we have plant new varieties that are more modern
loyal and reliable customers that are wait- for consumers, but these apples will re-
ing for our apples, but as I said before we tain their positions for years to come. Or-
will have to do all efforts – together with ganic is booming in nearly all areas, due to
our partners – to overcome big logistics market prices and public policy pushing for
challenges. The container deficit is one el- it: we are historic producers and are look-
ement, the prices of logistics and raw ma- ing with a lot of attention to our varieties
terials are also impacting packaging very portfolio to give customers the best ser-
much, and therefore reducing the possible vice and consumers a great eating experi-
return for the growers. We are not looking ence. It will become surely tough, but we
at creating inflation at consumers level, are ready!



OCTOBER 2021

12 PRODUCTS






ÒKiwis




AN INTERESTING YEAR




It is October and trade deals for the new quantities of kiwis have slowly begun to be fixed between
producers and traders at prices approaching one euro per kilo, thus causing intense concern among a
big part of traders.



the producer prices will be at higher levels
than last year. So the question that aris-
es is “how much will they go up”. The an-
swer to this question is given by the first
trade agreements that were concluded in
Pyrgetos, an area from which the trade
agreements start every year. So, according
to valid information, the producer price for
the very good kiwis of the region was set
at 0.95-1 euros per kilo, that is, much high-
er than they had closed last year!
We are going through week 37 and the are well aware of the events in kiwi esti- Valid trading circles, however, esti-
cultivation of kiwi is evolving smoothly and mate that in the 2025 season the volume mate that in the end it is likely that the
without problems from the weather in all of kiwi production in our country will have axis around which producer prices will be
the production areas of the country. far exceeded 500,000 tons, thus bringing formed will be 90 cents, from 75 cents last
As we mentioned in our previous issue, Greece to the first place of kiwi produc- year.
due to the spring frost, the percentages tion in Europe. However, if these estimates Such a development causes “head-
of low quality kiwis will be more this year, are correct, then the kiwi sector must take aches” to Greek and European traders,
while in terms of fruit size, the main vol- timely measures to manage this quantity. who see that the product will reach high
ume will move to medium sizes. The Sep- prices to consumers this year, taking in-
tember rains and the drop in temperature Accuracy to account the producer price and ship-
were beneficial for the crop, but there are This year is very special, not only for ki- ping and packaging costs, which are also
still six weeks left until the harvest begins wis but also for all agricultural products, very high this year and fear that thus the
and until then a lot can happen and the as we have an explosion in transport costs, smooth absorption of kiwifruit may be im-
landscape can change completely. which seems to be declining by spring, and paired. The coming weeks are crucial, and
which will logically affect the absorption of before October, the landscape will be clear
The volume of production products, especially in the USA and Can- on this issue as well.
In terms of production volume, older ada, but also in other distant countries
fields show a significant reduction in pro- where shipments are made by contain- The questions
duction, which in some areas reaches high er. Close to this, let us add that signifi- Along with high producer prices, but al-
levels. But at the same time, many new cant increases have been made to almost so the wave of accuracy, traders must even
fields will bear fruit for the first time, while all packaging materials, and energy. We face the requirement of producers not to
the young trees have an increase in pro- have left for last the issue of land work- cut sales invoices with precise data. This
duction. All this leads us to the conclusion ers, which is very serious, and as every- is a big problem for organized businesses,
that eventually the volume of production thing shows it will be intensely occupied which can not move “black money” and so,
for the new season in kiwi will be reduced, this year in the kiwi sector. as it seems, will find a place for the Bal-
about 5% compared to last year. However, kan traffickers to move, but also that group
the volume of kiwi production in our coun- Trade agreements of traffickers who do not care about “clean
try has reached very high levels, and an in- The traders have expressed their inter- and legal procedures! But this way the
crease or decrease of about 5% does not est in the kiwis of this season quite early market will be disrupted and, as is usually
change the commercial climate in kiwi. and from the discussions that have taken the case, the bride will once again be paid
It should be noted here that traders that place so far, it is concluded that eventually by organized businesses.



OCTOBER 2021



14 INTERVIEW
































NICK KIRTON

ZESPRI EXECUTIVE OFFICER -
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE SUPPLY
“THE NEW PLANTATIONS OF ZESPRI


IN EUROPE OUTBALANCE
What’s the exported volume of the
New Zealand’s kiwis during this sea-
While we’re definitely seeing some THE LOSSES FROM THE BAD WEATHER”
son? Are there any stocks left?
headwinds this season, we are on track
for a record-breaking New Zealand kiwi- Froutonea talsk with Mr. Nick Kirton, head of supplies of the
fruit crop this season of around 177 million
trays. As of mid-September, we’d shipped northern hemisphere of Zespri for the new season of kiwis in the
around 90% of this season’s New Zealand northern hemisphere, as well as for the global market of this fruit.
kiwifruit crop. The remaining fruit will be
shipped over the following 6-7 weeks, with
Zespri also preparing to transition to our challenges this year, with spring frosts im-
Northern Hemisphere-grown fruit. This has pacting many growing areas. Offsetting
been the result of a tremendous effort right this is the positive progress being made by
across the supply chain to manage a num- continued growth from new plantings, the
ber of logistical challenges this season, in- Kiwifruit Vine Decline Syndrome taskforce,
cluding those associated with COVID-19. Zespri expects to see a 10% and Zespri expects to see around a 10% in-
crease in European-grown SunGold vol-
What do you estimate about the vol- increase in the volume of umes from last season.
ume and the quality of your production its European SunGold crop
in Europe separately for the green and compared to last season Will you continue to expand your activi-
the yellow kiwis? What about the rest ties in the Northern Hemisphere and by
of the Northern Hemisphere? which form? New plantations, new col-
Our Northern Hemisphere-grown fruit laborations with packing houses? Also,
continue to play a crucial role in our abili- do you have any plans for Greece?
ty to provide consumers with access to our Zespri is continuing to expand produc-
fruit for all 12 months of the year, deliver tion in Europe through new plantings of
higher returns to growers, and invest in im- SunGold Kiwifruit in Zespri’s current North-
portant research and innovation. Fruit pro- ern Hemisphere supply regions of Italy and
duction in Europe has experienced some France. SunGold Kiwifruit trials are also




OCTOBER 2021

underway in Greece to deepen our under- in emerging markets like Vietnam which with the Chinese government and industry,
standing of commercial production oppor- is one of Zespri’s fastest growing mar- and promoting the importance of IP pro-
tunities. kets having achieved double-digit growth tection.
year-on-year since 2007. Looking ahead,
Which are the markets that you would we’re committed to providing our consum- It is a fact there is a scarcity of refrig-
assess as “emerging” for the kiwi con- ers around the world with fresh, healthy erated containers and even ships and
sumption? and tasty Zespri Kiwifruit, and investing in truck drivers that affects the global
Our industry is well placed to capitalise building the Zespri brand and getting clos- fruit trade. Does Zespri face any certain
on the latest consumer trends and the in- er to our consumers. troubles due to that situation? How do
creased focus on nutrition and immunity you manage to overcome this tough sit-
which is borne out by the surge in global Which are the latest news concerning uation of the maritime logistics?
interest for products with vitamin C. Along the troubles of the unauthorised plan- Covid-19 has impacted internation-
with the likes of the berry and avocado in- tations in China? al trade and shipping routes, and we con-
dustries, kiwifruit is seen as a new age China is an incredibly important market tinue to closely monitor the export ship-
fruit - enjoying strong growth rates, offer- for Zespri and our focus remains providing ping environment. Zespri uses a mixture
ing a number of health properties and be- our local consumers with premium quali- of shipping modes to get our fruit to our
ing widely identified as a premium product. ty Zespri Kiwifruit. While we expect the un- global customers and consumers, and we
Our focus remains on both growing supply authorised plantings in China will continue work closely with our long-term port and
and adding value through a world-lead- to grow, our team on the ground is working shipping partners worldwide to manage
ing brand and premium product with fruit with the industry and supply chain in China any disruptions. This season, for example,
people know tastes great, is safe to con- to understand local fruit performance and we’ve increased our use of charter vessels
sume and which is grown in the right way. characteristics, as we increase our under- which provide more flexibility and which
Europe, Greater China and Japan remain standing and assess a new way forward. have played a crucial role in ensuring we
our largest markets, while we’re also see- We’ll also be continuing our R&D partner- can ship our fruit to consumers around the
ing strong growth in North America and ships and strengthening our relationships world.
















































OCTOBER 2021

16 INTERVIEW






























“THE REGION OF ARTA EXPECTS

CHRISTOS KOLIOS

OWNER OF KOLIOS COMPANY A NEW KIWI CROP OF 45,000 TONNES “

Mr. Christos Kolios, owner of the company Kolios, talks to Frou-
Mr. Kolios, what volume of production tonea about the formation of the productive landscape in Arta just
will Arta give us this year in green ki- a “breath” before the start of the new kiwi season and, at the same
wis?
We believe that this year’s production time, comments on the conditions prevailing in the market.
volume will be the same as last year. May-
be something more, because new plantings petition on the part of foreign companies,
start to provide us their fruits. Specifically,
according to the available calculations, we which buy their products without tax doc-
uments.
speak about 45,000 tons.
There is, however, the issue of labor
As for the yellow kiwis of Soreli vari- The heat of summer shortages. I am sure that there will be de-
ety, how is the situation on the farms? and not excellent fertilization lays in the harvest of kiwis with an impact
on their quality.
For this variety, this year we expect a
production of 750-800 tons. This is an in- can cause problems in the As for the logistics, do you also notice
creased production, as last year the vol- quality and shelf life of fruits
ume had reached 550 tons. In general, I the creation of unfavorable conditions
for exports?
would like to note that this variety has a in the cooling chambers
We have large increases in the cost of
bright future in our region, as not only our road transportations and especially in the
company but also other producers partici-
pate in the expansion of its plantings. cost of shipping. Especially the fare in-
creases for the American market are huge,
30%, 50% or more depending on the des-
What is the quality of this year’s pro- tination. For example, while last year for
duction?
The only thing that worries us is that the How do you see this year’s commercial a specific destination we paid 5,000 euros
heat of summer and the not excellent fer- landscape, in which the kiwis will soon per container, this year the money request-
tilization can cause problems in the qual- enter? ed is 8,000-9,000 euros.
Ultimately, however, the question is
ity and shelf life of the fruits in the cool- I would say that all the entrepreneurs
ing chambers. This will be something that who deal with kiwi are worried. It is hard whether consumers will be able to absorb
all this increased cost that ends up in the
should be taken into account by those who for us to record 20% increases in packag-
want to send kiwis to markets outside Eu- ing materials costs, while producers are shelves of retail stores. It remains to be
seen if and to what extent the new season
rope, ie to destinations that require a long asking for expensive prices to sell their ki-
transport time. wis. Of course, there is also unfair com- will be good.


OCTOBER 2021



18 INTERVIEW






























KLEARXOS SARANTIDIS

DIRECTOR OF KAVALA COOP



Mr. Sarantidis, could you please describe
us the current trade season of kiwis? “THE EXPANSION OF KIWI
The interest from international markets
has been really intense since the beginning
of the season and I think that 2021-2022 is CULTIVATION IN KAVALA IS RAPID”
going to be a satisfying year both for pro-
ducers and traders.
Mr. Klearhos Sarantidis, Director of Kavala Coop gives us his point
How would you assess the reception of of view about the Greek kiwi sector and talks about the future busi-
the Greek kiwis in the European mar- ness plans of his Cooperative which go far beyond that fruit.
kets in general? Do they meet the Eu-
ropean standards?
The preference for the Greek kiwis is ris-
ing every year and especially Spain be- is enough for our clients to know that they
can rely on us and the quality of products.
comes a very “special” market. Greece has Kavala Coop complies with all the high, in-
made great steps all these years, improv- ternational standards of cultivation and
ing not only the quality but also the appear- post-harvest procedures, which guaran-
ance of our products. For Kavala Coop, that For the last 22 years tee the delivery of its products, keeping in
does not mean that we are satisfied and Kavala Coop has become a perfect state the quality that the Greek
that we do not want to be even better. Our land gives them.
products are always well appreciated by a strong brand name
the European merchants but our objective and its logo is enough Are there any possibilities for further
is to prove to the European chains and con- development of the kiwi sector in Kav-
sumers, that the Greek kiwis are even bet- for our clients to know ala and in what way?
ter than those of Chile, or New Zealand. that they can rely on us The expansion of the kiwi in Kava-
and the quality of products la is rapid and that means that soon we
Please tell us which characteristics will need new facilities in order to man-
of your products and of your working age the augmented volumes. As for what
methods make Kavala Coop a prefera- we have to do, the next step must be the
ble partner for your clients? launch of a yellow and even a red kiwi. In
For the last 22 years Kavala Coop has
become a strong brand name and its logo Kavala Coop we always keep a close eye



OCTOBER 2021

Kavala Coop
in lines

➔ Founded in 1927
➔ Its kiwi industry facilities
are in Chaideuto, Kavala
➔ It sells its kiwis in packages
of 5-6 kgr. (bulf), 10 kgr. (bulk),
5 kgr. (in setup) and 3 kgr. (in
on what is going on in the foreign markets climate for this fruit, and the production is setup)
and we are convinced that these varieties getting bigger. ➔ The Coop roduces and sells
are the future. asparagus
Would you like to share with our read-
Beyond kiwis, which other products ers the future plans of Kavala Coop?
does Kavala Coop provide to the mar- The future plans of Kavala Coop are con-
ket? crete and very interesting. We already have info
The asparagus and cherries are two pre- started the cultivation of white seedless Company: Kavala Coop
mium products that Kavala Coop has in its table grapes in Chrissoupoli and Paggao Founded: 1927
cultivation list. We produce traditionally on- and are now able to bring the first fruits in Address: 18 Idras Str., Kavala
ly white asparagus and we have great ex- the market. Our other plan, has to do with T.: + 30 2510 228 696
perience in this sector. As for the cherries, the vegetables. We are thinking of con- F.: + 30 2510 223 506
this is actually a new entry in our orchards, structing a big greenhouse in Chrissoupoli Email: [email protected]
so it is produced in small quantities. Nev- but at this time we would not like to share Website: www.easkavalas.gr
ertheless Kavala region has a favorable more details.















































OCTOBER 2021

20 INTERVIEW






"WE ALWAYS GIVE THE CUSTOMER



WHAT THEY REALLY WANT"




Menelaos Fresh is one of the Greek companies that - thanks to its
network of international suppliers and experience in the trade of
fresh fruits and vegetables – manage to cover the needs of the market
Mr. Kannis and Mr. Tzouris, your com- with imports in a variety of products from all over the world. Mene-
pany, there have been some changes
in your company "Menelaos Fresh" laos Tzouris and Haris Kannis, Shareholders of Menelaos Fresh talk
this year. Could you please inform us about their company and their plans for the near future.
about them?
The history of Menelaos Fresh start-
ed 70 years ago, from the grandfather of
Menelaos Tzouris. Borrowing this ancient The products that we focus
Greek name, the first company "Menelaos"
was founded in 1987 by Georgios Tzouris on are citrus, kiwis,
and Ioannis Kannis. In the years that fol- avocados, mangoes and
lowed, "Menelaos" changed its form and
composition and evolved into a modern in general we target
pioneer company in the sector. From Ju- the products that are
ly 2021 "Menelaos Fresh" with sharehold-
ers Kannis and Tzouris families under- in short supply during
takes to continue this tradition. We carry the summer in Greece
on emphasizing on quality and we supply
the market with products that make the
difference. Today our company, Menelaos
Fresh, enters a new era, but our goals do
not change: We strive to remain pioneers
and constantly do new things. We are con- HARIS KANNIS
stantly looking for those products that will
satisfy the needs of our customers and & MENELAOS TZOURIS
this is why we are constantly looking for
the best partners. The "fresh" in both ideas
and products, was and remains a compo- SHAREHOLDERS partners for the products it imports?
nent of Menelaos Fresh's identity. OF MENELAOS FRESH The key to a successful course in the
business of fresh fruits and vegetables is
Which products does your company to meet the quality standards of your cus-
distribute and which of them does it tomers. Menelaos Fresh, whose client list
give priority to? mer activity. The products that we focus includes supermarket chains with very
You may be surprised to find out that our on are citrus, kiwis, avocados, mangoes specific requirements, manages to supply
company trades more than 1500 different and in general we target the products that its buyers with not generally quality prod-
codes of products daily. We import prod- are in short supply during the summer in ucts, but the company tries to fulfill the
ucts that due to climatic conditions can- Greece. For example, our company made customer’s needs giving them what they
not be produced in Greece. In addition, our sure to make a good supply of pomegran- ask for. This is our priority when it comes
goal is to meet demand in times of short- ates, thus ensuring the needs of the mar- to choosing our suppliers. In other words,
age. Shortages are caused either by sea- ket for a short period of time, during which our products meet the specific require-
sonality or by reduced supply due to tem- increased demand was expected. ments of the final buyer and always these
porary circumstances, such as weather products have the relevant certifications,
events that may affect production. Spe- What quality criteria and certifications such as HASP, GLOBAL GAP, but also cor-
cial reference should be made on our sum- does your company require from its porate social responsibility certifications.



OCTOBER 2021

"WE ALWAYS GIVE THE CUSTOMER



WHAT THEY REALLY WANT"












































































OCTOBER 2021

22 INTERVIEW

































GIORGOS ANTONAKIS

GENERAL MANAGER
OF “SYNERGATIKI SA” “LOWER PRODUCTION VOLUME FOR

THE EARLY CRETAN AVOCADO VARIETIES”

Mr. Antonakis, avocados from Chania
are in fact the only ones produced in
Greece. Is there space for further ex- The new season of the Cretan avocado is just around the corner and
pansion of cultivation in your county? Mr. George Antonakis, general manager of “Sinergatiki SA” talks to
In recent years, the areas of avocado cul- Froutonea, about the preparations of the Cretan producers to enter
tivation in the prefecture of Chania have al-
most doubled despite all the difficulties the market, but also about the general development of the specific
that have arisen due to climate change and crop in the region of Chania, which is flourishing more and more.
weather instability. In particular, there are
problems both in the flowering stage and
in fruit setting, with the result that there What are the first indications that you terference, since at present in Crete there
is no stable production. However, avoca- have for the production of the various are no enemies of the fruit and of the plant.
do has become one of the most profitable different varieties in this season? The climate and the soil of Crete are ideal
crops, with the result that many producers In terms of quantities we have lower ex- for the organic cultivation of the product,
in other parts of Greece, mainly in the Pelo- pectations compared to last year, certain- favoring its further development.
ponnese and Central Greece, start to work ly for the early varieties but also for the
with it. Fuerte variety, which while there were ma- What experience have you gained from
ny promising, the continuous and very high your export activity? What do your
However, is the growth of the crop temperatures did not allow the fruit set- overseas customers demand in terms
done in the appropriate way? ting to be completed in the correct way. In of size, quality, and other features
In the case of avocados, as happens with contrast, in the Hass variety the quantities such as certifications and packaging?
other fruits as well, we find that the whole increase due to the continuous and exten- Greek avocado has an advantage in EU
project, once again, is done individually by sive planting. markets compared to imported products
producers and not by a unifying organiza- from Latin America and Africa, due to its
tion that will be able to monitor and control What percentage of the total avocado shorter transport time, but mainly due to
this process as a whole. Thus, taking into production in Chania is of organic ori- the more correct harvest time of the fruits.
account the particularities and the poten- gin? Is it easy to grow them? The European market demands the basic
tial of each area useful conclusions could be Avocado is one of the safest agricultural varieties Hass and Fuerte, with a greater
drawn for the strengthening and the further products, a crop with minimal chemical in- interest in medium and smaller fruits.
development of the avocado cultivation.


OCTOBER 2021

POTATOES - NW EUROPE
WET SUMMER AND QUALITY ISSUES CAUSE HEADACHE


TO THE GROWERS



A growing number of producers say their late blight outbreaks are more or less under control but
will one way or the other have an influence on the season (lower net yields and/or quality issues).


North-western Europe will have had one
of its most humid summers in the last de-
cades! In some areas in Belgium and West-
ern Germany, rainfall at mid-July was an
absolute historic high. Since mid-July late
blight problems have been a constant wor-
ry for growers, and spray costs will also be
on a historic level… A growing number of
producers say their late blight outbreaks
are more or less under control but will one
way or the other have an influence on the
season (lower net yields and/or quality is-
sues)

Average yields and possible quality
issues and storing difficulties
Global yields at EU-04 level (NEPG zone)
are expected to be roughly equal to those Covid-19 still an issue but good
of last year i.e. 45 tonnes/ha and slightly ongoing sales and export of
above the 5 year average, There will be rel- processed products.
ative important differences between gross The worldwide pandemic due to Covid-19
and net yields. And there are still many un- is still ongoing and will still be weighing on
certainties about quality issues (rot, hol- Growing potatoes is an ever potato markets and sales of processed
low hearts, cracks, low UWW in some cas- more expensive business products throughout the coming marketing
es), harvesting conditions and storability. season. Nobody knows what the influence
The total production in the NEPG zone is (above average spray costs of the developing ∆ variant (and others to
expected to be around 22,4 million tonnes 2021, higher energy costs come) will have on global trade and mar-
(produced on an area of 497.700 ha). It’s kets. Nevertheless, since the end of spring
less than last year, mainly due to reduced for storage 2021-2022…), and throughout the summer, processors
planted area (thanks partly to the NEPG and will continue to be so. have been working at full capacity. EU-27
call), and similar to the 5 years average. exports (i.e. outside the Union) were very
Higher prices for cereals good in June (+ 63 % compared to June
Higher prices for raw materials and rapeseed, combined with 2020). Total sales of European processed
and for different crops, i.e. cereals, potato products were up by 13% compar-
could influence the potato! greater potato production ing season 2020/21 with the 2019/20 one.
Growing potatoes is an ever more ex- costs could have an influence There where big variations of destinations
pensive business (above average spray and volumes exported during this last 12
costs 2021, higher energy costs for stor- on the 2022 potato area months period.
age 2021-2022…) , and will continue to be Due to the very hot and dry summer in
so. Higher prices for cereals and rapeseed, Southern Europe, North Africa and the
combined with greater potato production near East, exports of fresh potatoes to the
costs could have an influence on the 2022 Mediterranean basin and possibly to east-
potato area. ern Europe could be good.




OCTOBER 2021