Agriculture in Greece
Agriculture in Greece is based on small, family-owned dispersed units, while the extent of cooperative organization stays at low comparative levels, against all efforts that have been taken in the last 30 years, mainly under European Union supervision.
Greek agriculture employs 528,000 farmers, 12% of the total labor force. It only produces 3.6% of the national GDP. Many of the country's immigrants are employed in the agricultural sector of the economy, as well as construction and public works.
Greece produces a wide variety of crops and livestock products. Fisheries are also playing an important role while forestry plays a secondary role.
Current
Currently, Greek agriculture is heavily subsidized by the Common Agricultural Policy, with controversial results. Certain deductions of subsidies are planned within the next decade.Modern history
19th century
In the 19th century, Greek agriculture was very basic. Implements found in western Europe had not yet appeared. The following description was reported by William Henry Moffett, American Consul in Athens and was published in the American periodical Garden and Forest :20th century
Greek agricultural production was vastly expanded in the 20th century, as per the information given elsewhere on this page. In particular grain production has been significantly increased using more modern farming methods.There were over 8,000 farms all over Greece in 1998, with 9,730 hectares of land used for the growing of organic farming.
The main varieties of domestic wheat produced in Greece during 2002 were FLAVIO, VAVAROS and MEXA.
Notable products
Notable products include:- Avgotaracho of Messolonghi
- Zante currant
- Greek wine
- Fava Santorinis
- Santorini tomato
- Krokos Kozanis
- Florina pepper
- Mastic of Chios
- Tobacco production
Olive cultivars/varieties
- Note: The below list is not considered exhaustive.
| Name | Image | Areas | Description |
| Adramitini | |||
| Amfissas | Alternate name is Amphissis | ||
| Amigdalolia | |||
| Athinolia | Low viscosity | ||
| Chemlali | |||
| Conservolia | |||
| Daphnoelia | |||
| Frantoio | |||
| Gordal | |||
| Chalkidikis | Chalkidiki | Green olives. Also known as Chondrolia and called "donkey olives". | |
| Hondroelia | |||
| Karidolia | |||
| Kalamatas | Messinia in Southern Peloponnese. | Usually a brown or black table olive. When picked early, known as "pink" olives. They have PDO status for the Kalamata region. Known as "Kalamon olives" outside this region. | |
| Koroneiki | Messinia, Peloponnese, and Zakynthos. | Cretan olives, referred also as elitses | |
| Kothreiki | |||
| Lianolia | |||
| Mastoidís | |||
| Megaritiki | |||
| Mirtolia | Mainly Laconia | Also Smertolia/Mourtolia | |
| Nafpliou | Valley of Argos in the Eastern Peloponnese peninsula. | Usually a table olive | |
| Patrinia | Primarily in Aigialeia. | High oil concentration of around 25% | |
| Picholine | Also Marocaine | ||
| Throubes or from Thassos | Island of Thassos | Naturally wrinkled when ripe and allowed to fall into nets. The only olives that can be eaten straight off the tree. | |
| Throumbolia | |||
| Tsounati | |||
| Valanolia |