#26 Bitter Harvest: Immigrant Labor and the Future of Greek Agriculture – with Christos Giannakakis

Get the enhanced episode transcript here 👉🏻 https://www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-26/.

In this interview, Emmanuel Comte sits down with Christos Giannakakis, Vice-President of the New Hellenic Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives (ETHEAS), to discuss the untold story of who keeps Greek agriculture alive. With over 90% of fruit and vegetable harvesting now dependent on foreign labor, this conversation dives into the pressing reality of migrant workers—many undocumented—who underpin the country’s food system. As Greek farmers grapple with labor shortages, Emmanuel and Christos explore how slow bureaucracies, restrictive immigration policies, and rising wages are reshaping the agricultural landscape. From the decline of Albanian labor to the unrealized promise of bilateral deals with Egypt, this episode reveals why Greece—and much of Europe—can no longer ignore the role of immigrant farmworkers. This is essential listening for anyone interested in food security, labor migration, rural economies, and the future of European agriculture.

This interview was arranged by Xenia Saratsioti and edited by Andriana Lagoudes. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.