Competitiveness and Prospects of Greek Asparagus: The European Context

Abstract

Problem statement: The revisions and the anticipated abolition of CAP will change the agricultural structure in member states of EU. Although the asparagus, without government interventions, from the decade of 90' has been transformed at one of more promising, in exports terms, cultivation for Greece, however under the existing circumstances it has a doubtful future. Approach: This research studied the diachronic evolution of competitiveness of white fresh Greek asparagus into the European context. A scheme of trade indices, based on post-trade and post-production data, had been estimated in respect of absence from the literature of a single generally accepted measure of competitiveness. Results: The results demonstrated that the Greek asparagus presents both a highly dependency of the German market and a penetration weakness into other markets, except from the Dutch one. The lack of Greek large retail chains with considerable geographic dispersion in West Europe contributes to trading problem. The feeble domestic consumption in Greece in combination with the enlargement of German production and the implied diminishing of its imports, cause restlessness for the future of cultivation and the producers’ income in Greece. Conclusion: A long term trading pattern for bonds creation in foreign supply channels and the growth of domestic consumption in Greece are indispensable to support and expand the future prospects of Greek asparagus.