Strong growth of Greek exports to record levels is expected in 2019, according to forecasts made by Greek exporters’ associations on the basis of export performance in 2018. In a statement to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA), the president of the Panhellenic Exporters’ Association Christina Sakellaridis pointed out that the figures for exports up to December 2018 indicated that Greece was heading for a historic high:
“In 2019, therefore, unfettered – though not fully – from the restrictions of the memorandums (capital controls etc), there should be a dynamic increase in our exports to new markets and new products with a new record being a visible target,” she noted.
Greek exporters have also learned from their mistakes and acquired knowhow and learned the best practices of other countries, enlisting technology and modernising customs offices, Sakellaridis added.
According to the Economy and Development ministry, in its Economic Developments Report for November and December, the government’s aim is for exports of Greek goods and services to increase from 30 pct of GDP at present to almost 50 pct of GDP by 2025. Reaching this ambitious target will require major changes to the domestic production environment, on the one hand, and a favourable international framework for trade, on the other hand.
In its last report based on export figures for October, the Panhellenic Exporters’ Association had underlined that export growth rates of 24 pct created grounds for optimism, while noting that the simultaneous rise in imports was a cause for concern, showing a need to strengthen domestic production.
In a study by SEVE’s Export Research and Studies Institute charting levels export activity in the Greek regions, announced on December 19, 2018, Attica once again accounted for the lion’s share of Greek exports (48.9 pct), with Central Macedonia (16.4 pct) and the Peloponnese (15.1 pct) coming in a distant second and third.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: steve gibson
