Linked subsidies for soft wheat and corn

Alternative markets for the import of white wheat and corn have been activated after the “closure” of the Ukrainian and Russian markets due to the war. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture provides incentives for farmers to cultivate additional quantities, including soft wheat and maize in the associated aid.

Specifically, as the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr. George Georgantas, pointed out in an interview with ANT1 television, Greece has full capacity and exports in durum wheat,  while in terms of soft wheat and maize, Greece was supplied by Russia and Ukraine with around 250,000 tons and 500,000 tons respectively.

Already, the food industry bodies have informed the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, that they have activated alternative channels for the import of the specific products from other European countries, such as Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, etc. while the channel for imports from the US and Canadian market is activated, after remaining inactive for about 25 years.

The Minister of Rural Development and Food, noted that in 2020 and 2021 Greece had a positive trade balance in agricultural products with a surplus of about half a billion euros for each previous year.

The Ministry, as stated by Mr. Georgantas, is monitoring the issue and has reactivated the Food Safety Committee, while at the same time giving incentives to the farmers to proceed with the cultivation of additional quantities. One of the incentives announced by the Minister of Rural Development and Food is the inclusion of common wheat and maize in the coupled aid.

Regarding the problem of increasing the cost of production, Mr. Georgantas pointed out that the government has been taking initiatives since the autumn and a package of 180 million euros has already been announced, while as announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, within next week there will be additional support.

At the same time, he noted that Greece has asked the EU to have a separate Support Fund to deal with the energy crisis, similar to the one that existed to deal with the effects of the pandemic. He recalled that he himself at the extraordinary Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries called for specific additional measures, something that other countries did and cited the example of his French counterpart who called for the abolition of fallow pasture measure.

As Mr. Georgantas said, all the measures that are taken and will be taken are aimed at supporting producers.