Rice producers in Western Thessaloniki are experiencing modest gains in yield and quality despite heat impact, with early and medium-seeded varieties showing good resistance and yields. However, the cultivation faces challenges such as thermal shock and weed pressure, leading to increased costs for plant protection. The disruption of the Suez Canal could potentially boost Greek rice's competitiveness, given the difficulties in importing long-seeded varieties from Asia. Despite these challenges, there is optimism for fair pricing and continued cultivation of the Carolinas variety, which requires special care and yields lower than other types. The ongoing Middle East crisis could pose problems for exporting mesoseed varieties to Gulf, Israeli, and Jordanian markets.