The harvesting season for Greek Hayward began yesterday, as it does every year on October 15, with trucks already on the road and ships at sea carrying the first deliveries to various destinations abroad, across Europe and the Americas.

“The first fruit picking operations in the orchards began yesterday, and we are seeing satisfactory volumes. Sales have already started, with shipments for export getting underway from the outset. The first consignments were mainly destined for long-standing partners abroad, in Spain and France, as well as in Latin America, specifically Brazil. Initially, the kiwifruit is being shipped mainly to wholesalers. Programmes with supermarket chains will start later in October, depending on each partner’s planning,” notes Savvas Argyrakis, president of Kavala Coop.

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“As the Kavala Agricultural Cooperative Union (EAS Kavala), we are proceeding with harvesting according to a specific schedule drawn up by our agronomists, based on the fruit’s quality characteristics, namely sugar content and dry matter. Kavala typically produces large-sized kiwifruit. This year, however, we are seeing a slight shift, with fruit sizes being marginally smaller by one grade. This could contribute to smoother management of the crop, as medium and smaller-sized fruit also have commercial value.”

“Our organisation expects to receive more than 9 million kilos of kiwifruit this year, which we will pack and export to international markets. Our destinations include European countries and third countries such as the United States, Canada and South Africa, as well as Latin American markets, including Brazil and Uruguay. We hope to see a smooth trading season, good storability of the kiwifruit, steady market distribution and, above all, better prices for our growers,” he adds.

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Finally, regarding current international competition, he notes that he does not see any significant pressure from New Zealand’s production. “As far as we know, New Zealand’s kiwifruit stocks are low. Chilean kiwifruit has a greater impact on Greek production than New Zealand’s. At the start of our season, kiwifruit prices on the market are at levels comparable to last year, with no major differences observed. We hope that all Greek growers will manage their production properly to achieve the best possible outcome in terms of prices.”

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For more information:
Savvas Argyrakis
Kavala Coop
Tel: +30 25108 30184
[email protected]