In Greece, incomes have fallen dramatically and retail prices and unemployment have risen over the past year; nearly one in five Greeks is currently unemployed and the government has recently raised taxes as a means to ease its debt.

In response to this, farmers and activists from Northern Greece have banded together to provide a solution to the grim economic situation which benefits the hard-hit producers and their customers alike. Activists in the town of Katerini started a ‘potato revolution’ which has swept the country by setting up a website to link up farmers and townspeople, allowing direct potato orders.

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By shortening the supply chain and avoiding retailers, the consumers get their potatoes for around a third of the supermarket price, whilst farmers receive higher returns for their produce; whereas farmers in Katerini were receiving 0.12€ per kilo for their potatoes, which was below the cost of production, by selling direct they are receiving 0,.25€/kg.

The sales, which started off taking place in car parks have proven a hit with jaded Greeks, who have seen their incomes fall whilst supermarket prices have remained the same. There has been widespread celebration for the more reactive method of direct sales, meaning the model has spread to other regions and even received the aid of some local authorities.

Following on from the success of the Katerini sales, agricultural students in Thessaloniki launched a similar program; the process has since snowballed and now other produce is being distributed in the same way, including onions and olives; there are plans to sell oil, flour and even Easter lamb in this way next month.

Under the agricultural students’ model, which some Greek economists have hailed as a means to “break the cycle of crisis,” locals sign up to a website to arrange what they want to buy, the students then contact local farmers to arrange supply of the required amount and set a place and time.

There are reports of similar successes from farmers in Australia, who managed to revitalise garlic sales following a bust in the Australian industry which saw producers unable to supply supermarkets after their produce was consistently undercut by imports. Using the internet and out of a desire to shorten the supply chain, farmers in Australia managed to secure more money for their garlic and have even sent their produce mail order in some cases, as garlic keeps well and is more resilient than most produce.

The first Katerini market saw 24 tonnes of potatoes sell out within four days; 534 families pre-ordered and turned out to collect their potatoes. The farmers involved have said they are delighted with the scheme, as they receive more money that they would in supplying large retailers, are able to interact with the community they supply and receive their payment immediately. One farmer said that the immediate payment is particularly useful as wholesale buyers can take a year to pay and there is little farmers can do if they default on payments.

Apostolos Kasapis claimed the farmers in his village are owed an estimated €500,000 by wholesalers and retailers. He said, “For us, what satisfies us most with this system is that we have regained our power over the middlemen, who have been squeezing us and profiting unfairly from everyone now for years.”

In response to the sales’ success, supermarkets in the area where the ‘revolution’ took off have slashed their potato prices. However, the Katerini organisers have said that their second sale saw their profile increase exponentially, selling 75 tons to over 1,100 people. They said that for many locals, the feeling of unity is as important as saving money.

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