Samos wine cooperative urges Greek government to act on wild boar damage

The Unified Wine Agricultural Cooperative of Samos (EΟS Samos) has sent an open letter to the Greek ministries of Environment and Energy and Rural Development and Food, warning that rising wild‑boar populations are devastating vineyards across the island. The letter cites damage to the historic Samos vineyard, a protected non‑material cultural heritage site, and notes that the attacks are spreading from low‑lying fields to mountainous areas such as Vourliotos, Pandrosos and Pyrgos.

EΟS Samos says the losses threaten the income of hundreds of families, jeopardise the island’s wine market and could lead to further abandonment of agricultural land. The cooperative is calling for immediate protective measures, compensation for affected growers and a comprehensive management plan to control the boar population.

The appeal highlights broader challenges facing Samos viticulture, including an aging population, labor shortages, rising production costs and climate change, which together make the sector vulnerable to this new pressure.