The 2023 Greek Kiwifruit Export Season Is Expected to Be Slow

Rumors of a slow 2023 Greek Kiwifruit export season are being confirmed on a daily basis, as only 64 thousand mt out of a total harvest of 220 thousand mt have been exported as of December 9. Imports to European countries totaled 63%, mainly to Spain and Italy, while imports to more lucrative overseas markets such as India and the USA amounted to 37%. Kiwifruit in India is becoming a "trendy fruit" since product marketing has a good effect, and the ban on Iranian kiwifruit is still favoring Greek kiwifruit exports. Other traditional markets, such as the Gulf countries, are lost due to the Iranian Kiwifruit's competitive pricing. Furthermore, the Chinese market is hit by sudden lockdowns and the bureaucracy of plant protection authorities.

Overall, the Greek kiwifruit export sector in 2022 was affected by small-size kiwifruit, and only 55–65%, depending on the region, of the harvested produce turned out to be marketable. This is further worsened by the high labor and energy costs as well as the detrimental effect of the overall decrease in consumption in Europe due to recessions. The industry waits until January to recover and finish a successful campaign.