Organic oranges from Greece

gebana: Why couldn't you sell your oranges at organic prices before?
Chrysoula Stergiou: There were no buyers for organic products here. Conventional oranges can be treated with phytohormones so that they can remain on the tree for one to two months when ripe; this is not possible in organic farming. So the fruit traders came to us exactly when our oranges were ripe and offered conventional prices. We had no choice: either we sold the oranges at the offered dumping prices, or they fell from the tree and rotted.

gebana: What does selling as an organic product mean economically for you?
Chrysoula Stergiou: Last year 60% of our income came from sales to gebana, although this was only 40% of our harvest by volume. The price we received was even higher than the organic market price. We invested the additional income in the maintenance of the fields and urgently needed repairs to the tractor and the water pump. We also consulted an agronomist as an advisor who brings us up to date with organic farming.

gebana: What are your biggest concerns right now?
Chrysoula Stergiou: A constant worry is the weather: frost, hail or exceptional heat are a threat to our fruit. A new problem is the Tristeza virus, which has now reached Argolida via infected seedlings. Infected trees, some of which are over 50 years old, must be felled and uprooted, a sad sight. The government only gives 20 euros compensation per tree.

gebana: What plans do you have for the future?
Chrysoula Stergiou: A larger investment is wind machines against frost. They prevent the formation of ground frost by mixing warmer air from higher layers with the cold ground air.

gebana: And your hopes?
Chrysoula Stergiou: Hopefully we can continue to sell our oranges at organic prices for a long time. And maybe with our positive experiences we can convince farmers in the area to switch to organic farming.