Rapsani wine producers face crisis in Greece

Evangelia Liakouli, a PASOK-Movement for Change MP for Larissa, has issued an urgent parliamentary request for financial support for viticulturists in the Rapsani PDO wine region. She warned that the area's viticulture is at a critical breaking point, facing the imminent risk of vineyard abandonment and shrinking production.

The crisis was significantly exacerbated by the 2023 cessation of operations at the historic winery 'Evangelos Tsantalis S.A.', which had absorbed approximately 90% of the region's production since 1991. While producers established the Rapsani Agricultural Cooperative and a grape producer group to ensure continuity, the economic impact remains severe. Although a court ruling recently awarded producers approximately 800,000 euros for debts incurred between 2020 and 2022, the total financial damage has not been fully recovered.

Between 2023 and 2025, only about 40% of production was absorbed by small local wineries, forcing the remainder to be sold outside the zone at lower prices. Projections for 2026 suggest local absorption will drop below 35%. Producers have faced three years of significant income loss due to high production costs and low market prices.