Fish farming – Greek fish emerge as the country’s export lever

The challenges of the fish farming sector, after the pandemic, but also its development perspective were at the center of the conference on “2021-2027: Development challenges and critical milestones”, held today under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food with co-organizers the University of Patras and the companies Next is Now and Dome Consulting Firm.

In a short video greeting, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Greek fish is a product that is emerging as an export lever of the country, internationally sought after and added that Greek fish already supplies 35 markets around the world while domestic fish farming that takes place is the bridge that connects the primary sector with our tourism growth.

“The area was tested by the pandemic, as well as the entire productive fabric of the country, but it stood up thanks to your own efforts and thanks to the help of the state,” said the prime minister and continued: Greek aquaculture now faces a more optimistic future than ever as a decisive component of the new national development model. This year, production will increase by at least 3%, reaching pre-pandemic levels and with exports absorbing 80% of total catches.”

At the same time, he stressed that the state will stand by the industry by improving the institutional framework by definitively locating the reception areas of aquaculture, utilizing resources from the Recovery Fund for their upgrade and giving a central role in policy planning for the primary sector.

The opening of the conference was announced by the publisher and director of Realnews, Nikos Hatzinikolaou, noting that in recent years fish farming is evolving into a “heavy industry” for our country.

As he said in the years of the memoranda, the industry was faced with great problems and significant challenges but managed to come out stronger. Today it is one of the most dynamically developing sectors in the primary sector of our country, it contributes the most to the recovery, extroversion and improvement of the competitiveness of the domestic economy, it is modernized with the use of new technologies and attracts significant investment funds.

Mr. Hatzinikolaou characterized this sector as a “success story” of the Greek economy which combines primary production, export dynamics and innovation always with respect for the environment and the proper management of natural resources. As he said, the industry has characteristics that make it one of the main pillars on which the productive reconstruction of the country in the post-COVID 19 era can be based.

The Minister of Development and Investment, Adonis Georgiadis focused on the huge potential that the sector has for the growth of the Greek economy. “Today the industry is distinguished by a healthy business environment. Funds have entered from abroad, two important companies have been consolidated and significant investments have already begun,” said Mr. Georgiadis, adding that there is a strategic plan for its development and it is time to seriously introduce new technologies in the field of fish farming in Greece, making the Greek fish farming industry much more competitive than in the past.

For his part, the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Spilios Livanos, referred to the strategic goals that the ministry focuses on, including the completion of spatial planning and the multi-level financial support of aquaculture, new and existing activities. At the same time, the Minister referred to the blue growth, emphasizing that today it must achieve the goal of the European Green Agreement, the new strategy of the EU. “consequently in our country,” he said.