Greece's agriculture in crisis as PASOK urges CAP overhaul

The primary sector in Greece is described as collapsing under the weight of an aging rural population, rising production costs, climate‑related challenges and scandals such as the OPEKEPE fraud case. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture for PASOK, Chrysa Charitaki‑Makraki, warned that most countryside residents are over 55 and that young people are abandoning farms, leaving the sector financially unsustainable.

PASOK proposes a radical new Common Agricultural Policy for 2028‑2034, centred on the slogan “pay farmers, not land”. The plan calls for fair, transparent distribution of subsidies to genuine producers, measures to lower input costs, and investments to mitigate climate impacts. It also seeks to address the OPEKEPE scandal and improve water and rural infrastructure.

The party stresses that without these reforms the agricultural sector will continue its decline, threatening food production, livestock health and rural livelihoods across Greece.