The visit of the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr. Lefteris Avgenakis, was described by the Deputy Minister of the General Administration of Customs, Mr. Zhao Zenglian, as a “milestone of substantial cooperation between Greece and China”.
The meeting lasted longer than planned and was held in a very positive atmosphere, with the result that problems were addressed and technical details that had been pending for a long time were resolved. It was clear the will of the two sides to resolve technical problems, to improve as well as to strengthen Greek exports of agricultural products such as cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, citrus fruits, grapes, strawberries and apples to the large market of China.
The last outstanding issues were also dealt with, so that the date of signing the two Greece-China cooperation protocols in the fisheries sector can now be seen in a short period of time.
These are two “cooperation protocols on fisheries catches and farmed catches”. With the signing of the two protocols, it will be possible to export from our country all wild catches and their products of Greek production, including roe, and the list of farmed catches and their products will be expanded, including salmon.
At the same time, the chronic backlogs that kept the export of Greek dairy products and honey at a standstill were analyzed to a great extent and in detail. With the contribution of service factors of both countries’ embassies, they are expected to be resolved shortly.
Corresponding answers and clarifications were given to the questions that had arisen after the ban on imports from China of skins of goats and sheep (in 2023), cattle (in 2016) and pigs. Optimism was evident in dealing with the accumulated outstanding issues which for the first time were adequately answered by both sides.
Corresponding explanations were given after the detailed discussion about processed and canned food for companion animals (petfood), factory-washed sheep’s wool, while a great discussion was held about the difficulties recorded from the Greek side in the export activity of stone fruits (cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, citrus fruits, grapes, strawberries and apples). Discussion also took place on the issue of mandarin exports.
As said by the Chinese side, “this meeting creates a great prospect for stronger trade cooperation in the export of agricultural products from Greece to China, in kiwifruit, juices, fish, leather, dairy, poultry, wine, honey, cattle, sheep, goats, pork and olive oil”.
In closing, the Chinese side requested, among other things, from the Greek minister that there be intensive exchanges of visits and collaborations between officials of the two ministries and representatives of institutional productive bodies in the primary sector, which was accepted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Also, the Chinese vice minister was asked to sign a “Memorandum of Cooperation on Livestock and Horticulture Issues” with the strong belief that it will provide solutions to the individual difficulties between the two countries arising from the African plague and sheep and goat pox diseases that hampered exports to China.
The positive outcome of the meeting was expressed by the Chinese Deputy Minister, who characterized the visit of the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Lefteris Avgenakis, as a “milestone of substantial cooperation between Greece and China”.
