Greek citrus exports are set to reach a new international market following a successful inspection visit by Thai phytosanitary officials, signalling a potential expansion of Greece's agricultural trade footprint in Southeast Asia.
A delegation of Thai inspectors completed on-site evaluations of orange and mandarin production in key growing regions, including Argolis, Laconia, and Aetolia-Acarnania, as announced by the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food. The visit focused on assessing whether Greece's phytosanitary system meets Thailand's strict import standards, a necessary step before granting market access to Greek citrus products.
During the inspections, Thai officials, accompanied by representatives from Greece's regional agricultural authorities and scientists from the Benaki Phytopathological Institute, examined the full production chain. This included harvesting, sorting and packaging processes, as well as traceability systems and pest management protocols implemented by producers under official supervision.
The findings highlighted what officials described as a high level of expertise across the sector, from growers to laboratory diagnostics and public phytosanitary services at both regional and national levels. These positive results are expected to pave the way for exports to Thailand to begin in autumn 2026, aligning with the 2026-2027 export season.
The visit concluded with meetings in Athens between the Thai delegation and senior Greek officials, including Secretary General for Agricultural Policy and International Relations Antonis Filippis. Discussions centred on strengthening bilateral cooperation in agricultural trade and building on the momentum created by the successful evaluation.
Greek officials framed the outcome as part of a broader strategy to internationalise the country's primary sector. Filippis noted that the favourable assessment "confirms the reliability of Greek phytosanitary mechanisms and the excellent quality of citrus products", while emphasising continued government support for opening new export markets.
