The high participation of Greek exhibitors at Berlin’s International Green Week shows the focus of Greece’s rural economy on quality products and exports, Agricultural Development and Food Minister Athanassios Tsaftaris said on December 17.

Tsaftaris inaugurated the country’s pavilion and welcomed his German counterpart Hans Peter Friedrich, Berlin’s Mayor Klaus Wowereit and German Chancellor's special envoy for cooperation with Greece Hans Joachim Fuchtel, who encouraged Greek prefectures to take part in exhibitions abroad. 

The Agriculture minister stated that his German partners hailed Greek farming shift toward quality products, instead of low-cost agriculture. He added that 2% of the funds granted under the new Common Agriculture Policy will be used to support new farmers. Furthermore, the ministry will focus on promoting exports, through policies that simplify procedures. "All this, coupled with quality, which is our passport to foreign markets, assist in an export-oriented outlook and the trade of our agricultural products abroad," he said. He added that agricultural product exports to Europe rose 18% in 2013, while they increased by 10% to third countries.