Skrekas at 28th Agrotica: Competitive farmers must adapt to climate change

"The people of the primary sector must henceforth not only produce more food products due to the increase in population on a global level but they must do so in even more difficult circumstances, due to the repercussions of climate change," Skrekas said at a seminar organised by the Hellenic Association of Biogas Producers.

These repercussions were become ever more apparent in Greece and were not confined only to damage sustained by crops, he said, but to an increase in diseases that were harder and more costly to combat.

Maintaining competitiveness was not only a matter of reducing production costs but also selling at better prices, he pointed out, saying that costs were rising on a global basis over the past decade but sale prices were following "at a slower pace".

Greek farmers, who lacked the acreage to satisfy bulk demand, must focus instead on "boutique" products, which meant increasing the link between research/identification and production, he added.

"Once we prove that we have these boutique products, we must communicate this properly and effectively, so that all those participating in the chain equally enjoy in the financial benefits," he said.