Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-03-12

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader addresses Farkadona farmers

[02] Greek exports up 5.4 pct in Jan.

[01] PASOK leader addresses Farkadona farmers

The European Union was under great pressure from many countries to divert farming subsidies to other sectors and these pressures would increase, Papandreou added.

PASOK's leader also underlined that Greek agricultural products must combine environmental concerns with good quality, so that when PASOK came into government it could negotiate with the EU on a different basis.

"We will say that we want funding not for the agricultural sector but for a framework that includes the environment, healthy diet and maintaining traditions," he noted, adding that these were high-priority issues for Europeans.

Papandreou also attacked the government for failing to negotiate with the EU on farming issues.

Local livestock farmers told PASOK's leader that their chief problems were bureaucracy, the credit system, transactions with banks and the civil service and subsidies.

Farmers said they wanted subsidies to be paid in a single installment, while they complained that prices for beef and milk were unchanged or falling, while the cost of materials for producing milk and feta cheese were up 15 pct.

They also asked for better infrastructure and demanded that Papandreou promise to take action to hook up stables with the power and water networks.

Papandreou, on his part, said that solutions existed but that the state must provide assistance, or else Greek farmers would "become homogenised in the global market without retaining any special identity".

He promised to support young farmers using all means but also to provide for pensioners in the sector.

Papandreou ended by stressing the need to provide certification of Greek products, improve infrastructure and link universities and technological educational institutes with agricultural production.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of PASOK leader George Papandreou

[02] Greek exports up 5.4 pct in Jan.

The statistical service, in a report said the value of imports grew by 15.1 pct in the 12-month period from January 2006 to January 2007, while the value of exports rose by 16.7 pct over the same period.

Caption: An aerial view of the port of Piraeus, Greece's largest commercial and passenger hub. ANA-MPA.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article