The Greek strawberry is one of the earliest harvested in Europe, beginning in November. However, the most important part of the Greek season is the second half, beginning in March. This is when the first big volumes of the most widely cultivated variety in Greece, Victory, come to market.
Victory's plantation process is about to begin in Greece and no problems are being observed to date. According to Mr. Vasilis Athanasopoulos, agronomist and head representative for the distribution of this variety in Greece, "The planting of Victory will begin on October 5, as it did last year. Based on the data coming so far from the nursery, we do not expect a delay in starting deliveries. Besides, it is the weather conditions during the next two to three months that will determine more than any other factor the beginning and the development of the harvest." However, as Mr. Athanasopoulos adds: "Victory plantations start producing relatively early, especially in recent years when the climate in our country seems to have changed significantly, with mild winter months."
More Victory plants will be delivered
Victory is dominant inside the Greek strawberry greenhouses. As Mr. Athanasopoulos stresses: "Since 2016, when Victory was first cultivated in Greece, till today the interest of the growers has been constantly increasing and to date has maybe surpassed 75-80% of the total cultivation area, which numbers about 2.100-2.200 hectares."
Vasilis Athanasopoulos (center), and Anna Ramioti (right), members of the Greek Victory team with Jorge Fuentes (left), Technical Manager of El Pinar, in a greenhouse with Victory strawberry cultivation in Vouprasio, Achaia, Greece.
The expansion of Victory in Greece keeps on track this season and if adverse weather phenomena do not occur, we can expect an even bigger Greek strawberry crop than last year during the Victory period. As the head of the Greek Victory team says: "The interest was bigger than last year, both for bare-root strawberries and for ready-grown plants in trays". According to him, this increase is due to both the installation of new greenhouses and the change of varieties. "There are also some new growers that cultivate strawberries for the first time," adds Mr. Athanasopoulos.
Maybe there is more to come in the near future from Victory in Greece. The Greek team puts great effort into upgrading this variety in Greece. It provides technical consultation to the growers assisted by Jorge Fuentes, Technical Manager of El Pinar -a Spanish company that has the rights to this variety. Moreover, El Pinar organizes visits for Greek growers to its production site in Segovia, Spain, to familiarize them with the concrete aspects of Victory's growing.
For more information:
Vasilis Athanasopoulos
El Pinar
Tel: +30 2623 181 097
Mob: +30 697 550 6416
[email protected]