Protesters in Athens in November insisted that the burden they shoulder is far larger than the assistance provided so far by the government. “All small and medium sized stockbreeding businesses should have the rights and support they had until (recently),” Mr Spyros Darakis, a representative of a co-operative on Crete, told Xinhua, claiming that thousands may be “left behind” without substantial aid.

Mr Ioannis Romanos, a lawyer representing an association of raisin producers on Peloponnese, highlighted the challenges they are facing due to the pandemic. Due to the lockdowns and the closure or partial operation of the catering and tourism sectors for several months, producers have tons of raisins left in their warehouses. The big surplus pushes down the prices to levels far lower than the production costs. “Last year, the price of Corinthian raisin was about 1.6 euros (per kilo). This year, it has dropped to one euro and the decline continues,” he told Xinhua, stressing that currently the production cost is about 1.2 euros per kilo. “With such prices, raisins production will be over in a couple of years,” he said.