The agri-food sector holds a dominant position in all the regions of Western Greece. The Region has a long tradition in the primary sector, especially in the production of high quality goods, with significant nutritional value. At the same time, the Region holds high market shares in the production of specific agricultural products (e.g. strawberries) and many PDO-PGI and traditional products. The soil in the Region of Western Greece is suitable for frequent alternation of land uses with intense crop production, giving the opportunity for significant differentiation of the products produced.
The primary sector faces significant challenges, including, among others, the digital transformation and the integration of innovative technologies across the value chain, both in production and food processing, reducing the average age of workers and retaining young people in rural areas, and in the employment in the primary sector
The primary sector contributes significantly to the main economic indexes in the Region of Western Greece. In particular, it employs 27.7% of the employees in the Region, it produces about 10% of the turnover of the companies and it contributes to the GVA of the RWG by 21.1% The primary sector is a priority for the Region of Western Greece and therefore, substantial financial tools are available at national and European level, that have been scheduled for the current and the 2021-2027 Programming Period.
According to KEPE*, the GDP multiplier for the sector amounts to 1.4, while the employment multiplier amounts to 56 (per million of investments). Practically speaking, this means that that for every €1 million of investments, the regional GDP will increase by €1.4 million and 56 new jobs will be created.
* The Centre of Planning and Economic Research (KEPE), Greek Economic Outlook (2014)
Why Investing in RWG?
Frequent alternation of land uses with intense crop production and diversification of products: The soil of the Region of Western Greece, in combination with the climatic conditions and the geomorphology, is suitable for the cultivation of many crops throughout the year. This contributes to the intensive use of land and the diversification of agricultural production, increasing the productivity of the primary sector in the Region.
Very high production shares of lemons, oats, sweet potatoes, strawberries, watermelons, potatoes, peanuts and zucchini: The Region of Western Greece has very high production shares for lemons, oats, sweet potatoes, strawberries, sweet potatoes, watermelons, oats, potatoes, peanuts and zucchini, which account for 55%, 44%, 68%, 98%, 46%, 41%, 38% and 32% of the national production respectively.
Production of a variety of products that have been characterized as PDO-PGI or traditional: In the Region of Western Greece, a total of 6 goods are produced that have been characterized as PDO-PGI, along with at least 16 traditional products. It is particularly important that the distribution of these products is not limited to one Regional Unit but on the contrary, there is a relative geographical spread across the 3 Regional Units. The high concentration of PDO-PGI and traditional products contributes to the building-up and establishment of a strong brand for the Region with multiplier benefits and export potential.
Very high (twice as much as in the rest of the country) employment of workers in high technology sectors engaged in the primary sector: The percentage of workers in high technology sectors employed in the primary sector is 27.4% in the Region of Western Greece, while the corresponding percentage at national level is 12.5%. This figure is indicative of the gradual introduction of modern and technologically advanced methods and human resources in the primary sector of RWG.