Thirty one Thessalian PDO and PGI products breach international markets

The European QUALIFY program aims to promote 31 PDO and PGI agricultural products of Thessaly in the fields of dairy, meat, olives, nuts and wine in the international markets.

For three days, the Region of Thessaly organized the corporate meeting of the QUALIFY project which is implemented under the European Territorial Cooperation Program Interreg Europe and aims to improve policies that strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs in the agri-food sector through the exchange of good practices between stakeholders and the consequent integration of acquired knowledge into relevant local policies and action plans.

During this three-day period, the visiting partners from Spain, Estonia, France, Slovenia and Bulgaria had the opportunity to visit model companies in the region and talk to representatives of industry and companies, so that they also understand for their part not only the available financial tools but also the initiatives taken by both the state and the private sector to combat food fraud.

In addition, the partners presented both the good practices they have identified in each country, and the actions they intend to include in the Action Plan that they will submit to the Managing Authority of Interreg Europe for evaluation.

Particular emphasis has been placed on informing the companies of the agri-food sector, regarding the need for constant quality control of the products, which will be accompanied by corresponding certifications, which always help the SMEs to develop activities abroad. In addition, the possibility of financing these companies, in order to make use of new technologies to optimize production and reduce the chances of errors, are the first priority of all partners, since this technological possibility now exists, with artificial intelligence tools such as Food Docs . Finally, the possibility of developing and operating an online auction of agri-food products, as is operated in Slovenia, was presented and evaluated, in order to ensure the best possible prices for producers and to ensure the quality of the products provided.

For its part, the Region of Thessaly presented the actions it intends to undertake through the Regional Development Program of Thessaly, which is under evaluation by the competent ministry and will be implemented in the period 2021-2027, and which provides for the possibility of financing businesses. and organizations of the area, both for their promotion abroad and for the protection and promotion of the Products of Designation of Origin and Products of Geographical Indication.

The suggestions of the representatives of STHEV, AENOL and the Chamber of Larissa moved in the same direction, who in turn stressed the need to give even more importance to certification, to further strengthen the brand name of Thessalian products and especially to promote them in a systematic, persistent and organized way in international markets.

According to the Thematic Deputy Regional Minister for European Programs-Employment-Trade Athanasios Mora: “In all this effort, the Region of Thessaly has a significant role in the representation of Thessalian agricultural products and companies, as among the other initiatives in the Union of European Regions with Products of Designation of Origin (AREPO), through which it is possible to further highlight the 31 Products of Designation of Origin (PDO) and Geographical Indication (PGI) of Thessaly in the fields of dairy, meat, fruit, olives, nuts and wine “.