How will the Greek Kalamata olives PDO be shielded?

The need to shield the Greek Kalamata olive was agreed at a meeting of stakeholders from Greek olive producing regions, which took place in Kalamata, on the occasion of the issues surrounding the Greek Kalamata olive and the “Kalamata Olive” PDO.

Specifically, according to the director of the Agricultural Cooperative “Union of Messinia” Yannis Pazios, also president of SYMEPOP (Association for Messinian PDO Olive Products), at the said meeting “after a dialogue, the need to protect the Greek Kalamon olive was agreed upon”.

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In this direction, the following were agreed:

a) The holding of a series of meetings in the next 6 months in order to document and agree on the process of shielding the production and distribution of the Greek Kalamata olives.

In order to achieve the above, it is necessary to shield the Geographical Indication and trade name “Kalamata” for the use of purely Greek Kalamata olives through the investigation of the process of expanding the geographical zone, where it becomes possible in the country according to the regulatory framework.

b) Because the problems of the primary sector and in particular of the Kalamata olive have multiplied, it is deemed necessary to establish a Pan-Hellenic Representative Body of Kalamata olive producers.

In order to implement the above, a coordinating committee will be set up during the next meetings, which will also investigate the process of modernizing the specifications of “Kalamata Olive PDO”.