Average Yield of Greek Cotton Reaches Record Levels and Touches Around 322 Kg Per Hectare

The average yield of cotton in Greece has reached record levels this year and has touched around 322 kg per hectare, Athanasios Tsaftaris, Minister of Rural Development and Food (MADF), said in the House during the debate on state budget 2014.

Cotton is the main agricultural export of Greece, and the country is one of the largest cotton producers in Europe, the Minister said, and added that approximately 50,000 people working on cotton farms earned about €900 in foreign exchange for the country.

The Minister said the MADF secured the necessary funding under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), in addition to single and coupled aid, to enable cotton farmers to continue their productive effort.

“We support them (the cotton growers) in all steps of the production process,” the Minister said and added that they would continue support in ensuring quality, enhancement of seed production, and improving the quality and strength of the crop by making them resistant to diseases such as bollworm, etc.

“In the same context we are organizing the Annual Session of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) in Thessaloniki, in November 2014. The event will act as a tool for further development of the cotton industry,” the Minister informed the House, according to the excerpts of the speech on the Ministry’s website.

Mr. Tsaftaris said the Government has every reason to support the primary sector and its products, as the primary sector can give a solid foundation during the current difficult economic climate.

He said Greece is blessed to produce exceptional quality products, but it requires methodical support and targeted action. The increased cotton yield and exports this year shows what a concerted effort can achieve, he added.