Olive oil: The 10th Pangretian Competition in Heraklion successfully

At an event that took place today at the , the results of the 10th Pangrete Competition of Olive Oil held in Heraklion were announced, aiming to highlight the quality and enhance the image of the Cretan in the domestic and international markets… This year’s anniversary event, in fact, had interesting speeches with a rich theme that started from the cultivation of olive trees in the field and reached the extra virgin olive oil and its uses and especially the restaurant. “In the Region of Crete we have a strategic plan for olive oil,” the Regional Commissioner of Crete Stavros Arnautakis stressed today during the announcement of the results, adding that “as a Region of Crete, through the operation of the Agricultural Food Partnership and of course through the exercise, for 3 years, of the Presidency of the AREPO Union, we designed, developed and voted in the Regional Council the Strategic Plan for olive oil. Its main objectives are to promote a different approach to olive cultivation and olive oil production, to upgrade quality according to the needs of modern legislation and the needs of the market, to increase the rate of standard olive oil, but also to increase its exports and, of course, its interconnection with tourism and gastronomy.” Stavros Arnautakis thanked all participants and distinguished persons during the first ten years of the competition that they showed with the presence and awards the value of Cretan olive oil while expressing the belief that the common goal of increasing participations in the competition and the persistence in the triptych: identity – quality – competitiveness of the product, in the effort of maximum extroversion required through the synergies of all stakeholders. In his post Minister for Rural Development and Food L.Augenakis said: “The olive oil is the liquid gold of the country, a product of high nutritional value, an integral part of the Cretan and Mediterranean diet and which is of course inextricably linked to its history. Greece may not have the quantities of other countries, but it has incomparable quality, as it appeared in the competition. Many congratulations to all participants, you made us very proud.” The responsibility of organizing the competition was for another year, the Region of Crete and the Agricultural Partnership. The evaluation of the samples took place on 29-30 March at the Organizational Laboratory of Crete ASP and the award ceremony took place today Sunday 31 March 2024, in the presence of representatives of local bodies and the winners. “The olive oil competition for the extra virgin olive oil “Kretis” is now an institution for the region of Crete,” noted Deputy Regional Chief of Rural Economy Stavros Tzedakis who was responsible for the event. “Even though we have had a difficult year for production this year, we have had too many samples of all three categories of olive oil (conventional, biological, PGI and PDO cultivation). They deserve congratulations to our producers and printers because once again we had too much quality olive oil,” he said. “We as a region of Crete will continue promotional activities, because the aim of the competition is to highlight and promote the excellent quality characteristics of olive oil of rich organoleptic characteristics and its nutritional value,” the Vice-President noted. Please note that participants in the competition can still develop free individual quality advisory sessions in collaboration with the Organizational Laboratory of Crete ASP and the Agricultural Partnership.