Hello Kiwi set to change trade relations between SA and Greece

Currently, South Africa exports fresh fruit to Greece while Greece only exports processed fruit and vegetables to South Africa, but the European Union's ‘Hello Kiwi' programme is set to change the situation.
pixel2013 via
pixel2013 via pixabay

The initial contacts were made last year over the Hostex period at a conference at the Gallagher Convention Centre where the buyers from major supermarkets of fresh fruit and vegetables supported the event and made valuable connections meeting the Greek kiwi producers. The conference will be held again this year in order to further develop these connections and make headway to bring kiwifruit into SA.

According to Panagiotis Dermetzoglou from the economic and commercial affairs office at the Greek embassy in Pretoria, “The fruit growing seasons in the two countries complement each other and create mutual benefits for them. He emphasised that Greece is implementing a roadmap for stabilising the national economy for sustainable growth, which makes it an ideal trading partner.”

“In a world where we all face a wide range of challenges, we definitely need to improve the overall conditions for our two countries to engage and increased trade is, of course, an important element of this,” he said.

“Kiwifruit provides high levels of fibre, anti-oxidants, and phytonutrients. They are extremely high in vitamin C - which is a powerful anti-oxidant,” said Clinical Nutritionist Nicci Robertson.

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