FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Excellent soil and climatic conditions, years of experience and know-how, and modern processing and packaging infrastructures guarantee the high quality of the Region’s fruits and vegetables.
Cherries, apples, and kiwi are some of the woody fruit crops, to which grapes, watermelons, and melons are added. Vegetables also cover a wide variety of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, and beans, with the most known being those from Nevrokopi in Drama, onions, garlic, with rich organoleptic characteristics, as well as okra, peas, green beans, fresh or frozen, bulk and packaged.
Among the most distinguished is the garlic of Nea Vyssa, a picturesque, traditional village in the Municipality of Orestiada, on the borders with Turkey, and the melon of Evros known as “Chryssi Kefali” (meaning Golden Head), which is primarily produced on the banks of the Evros River, mainly in the villages of Peplos and Tychero.
GARLIC of NEA VYSSA
The wonderful taste, size, and aroma have ensured the great reputation of the Nea Vyssa garlic, both within and outside the borders of Greece. Garlic came to Nea Vyssa from the refugees of Eastern Thrace in 1923 and its cultivation is continued to date thanks to the perseverance and hard work mainly of the women of the region.
70% of the garlic in Greece is produced in Nea Vyssa. This garlic stands out for its large “heads”, with large cloves, white or white with purple streaks. According to a study conducted for two consecutive years by the Laboratory of Chemistry of the Department of Rural Development of Orestiada, it was proven that Vyssa garlic stands out compared to five (5) kinds of garlic of different geographical origin, both in terms of essential oil (quantity and quality), which can be isolated and in terms of precursor sulfoxides (alliin and methiin), which have antimicrobial and fungicidal action and were found in higher quantity and quality in the Nea Vyssa garlic.
Garlic is available in the domestic market in bulk, netted, or traditional braids. At the same time, it is exported to Bulgaria, Germany, and Australia by the Cooperative and private traders.
Producers are seeking the registration of Nea Vyssa garlic as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) product. Another distinction for the Nea Vyssa garlic is the achievement in 2018 of a place in the Guinness Book of Records for a 612.7-meter braid created by Mrs. Dimitra Tzioridou in 17 hours using a total of 20,000 garlic.
The Agricultural Cooperative for the Production, Processing, and Marketing of the Nea Vyssa Garlic adopted the gaiasense intelligent farming system, to ensure a consistently high quality and quantity of production at reduced costs.
EVROS MELON “CHRYSSI KEFALI”
The famous melon of the local “Chryssi Kefali” (meaning Golden Head) variety of Evros is recognized initially by its golden color and round shape, which gave it its name, followed by its rich flavor and characteristic aroma.
It has been cultivated since the Ottoman Empire in the plains of the villages of Tychero and Peplos, on the banks of the Evros River, the soil conditions and microclimate favor its cultivation and give it special and unique characteristics. Harvesting begins in early September and is completed by the end of October. It is round, medium-sized, golden colored, with green streaks and spots.
The “Golden Head” melon is currently in the process of being recognized by the European Union as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product.
Melons of this local variety contain calcium and potassium, essential elements for the heart, and large quantities of linoleic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated acid, necessary for the human body. Furthermore, official laboratory tests have shown that these melons contain a type of esters that was not found in any study of other melon varieties which acts as a preservative, ensuring this particular variety a long shelf life. This is a global uniqueness with enormous added value for the product.