In two years’ time the building constructions of the new cheese-dairy of the Association of Herakleion, Crete will have been completed, the vice-president Mr. Michalis Heretis underlined According to his words, the Union already owns a highly-equipped wine-factory in the municipality of Paliani in the Prefecture of Herakleion, special building constructions for the standardization of olive oil and separate modern constructions for the standardization and export organization of table raisins.
The Union produces 6.000-8000 tons of wine annually and 6.000tons of olive oil, while it standardizes 2.000 tons of table grapes. Also, it transports 40% of the wine produce and the 50% of the olive oil of its region of responsibility. More specifically, the aims of the Association are to co-ordinate and reinforce the work of partner Agricultural cooperatives so as to serve the business and financial interests of the farmers. The role of these cooperatives, among others, is to supplement the agricultural production of their members and then the Union takes over process, standardization and the promotion of agricultural products in the market (wine, olive oil, grapes, vinegar κρασί,) as well as fodder production. Moreover, certain activities are promoted that deal with trading agricultural equipment, administrative support of the agricultural cooperatives and their members, counseling services for the farmers, insurance services to the farmers, insurance services and exploitation supermarket. In the wine-factory 16 kinds of wine ripe such as: VINISSIMO (red sweet wine, variety DΙΑΤΙΚΟ), VILANA (white dry wine, variety Vilana), SYRAH (deep red color- French variety Syrah), Kressa- Ge – Vilana (white red wine – variety), Kressa- Ge – SYRAH KOTSIFALI (red dry wine – variety Syrah – Kotsifali), Kressa- Ge – (rose dry wine – variety Kotsifali Mandilari) etc.
169 Primary cooperatives of the Prefecture of Herakleion belong to the Union and the share-capital of the company is 3.856.000Euros, consisting of 241 shares that are valued 16.000 Euros each.
It has to be noted that, according to members of the Union during 2008 there were important awards such as: in Paris in April 2008 the company was distinguished for the whole of its work with the International Star for Leadership in Quality, in Zurich in April 2008 for the biological olive oil with the International Olive Award and in Brussels in May 2008 γfor the special technical characteristics of olive oil KNOSSOS with the Superior Taste Award.
The Union was established in 1927 and its first activities were about the collection of products (raisins, olive oil) as well as services supply. Since 1970a more dynamic growth begins and the dealing with new trading activities (olive oil) until the 80s when it proceeds to new industrial investments (pesticides, agricultural machinery etc).
New investments in the Association of Herakleion
