Insistence on bulk olive oil exports costly for Greece

Olive oil is Greece's fourth most important export, with sales abroad totaling 524.5 million euros in 2018. However, Greece keeps losing market shares to its main competitors, Italy and Spain, as well as rising players in the international market, such as Tunisia. 

A recent report by the Economic and Commercial Affairs Office of the Greek Consulate in Toronto points to some of the reasons. 

First of all, Greece still lags in terms of the promotion and packaging of the product, despite the appearance of new, dynamic producers.

In Canada, in large part due to the presence of a sizable Greek community, much of the exports are purchased in 5-liter cans, many unbranded. Also, a fair amount are directly delivered to households, at no extra cost, with the olive oil paid for in advance. 

And even the part that reaches supermarkets is disadvantaged, in the sense...