Greece is the leading cotton country in the EU, with over 80% of the total production of cotton based on USDA data. The cotton sector is not only an important part of the Greek agricultural economy but also of the European Union. Through the rise in demand for the product and the increase in its prices, the recession in cotton prices in recent years appears to be on the verge of recovery, resulting in significant signs of improvement in the manufacturing companies of the sector, which appear to be highly competitive. Additionally, assessment of competitiveness in a fluid financial international economic environment is of major importance for all businesses and more specifically for this sector of the economy. The objective of this work is to evaluate the competitiveness of the two largest manufacturing companies in the sector using indicators as a basic tool, not only for determining their financial situation but also as an advisory tool for choosing the right strategic stimulus to boost their competitiveness. The results show significant financial relationships between the key indicators which are measures for determining their competitiveness and choosing the appropriate strategy.
Dairy cow farming is one of Greece's most important livestock industries, as it contributes to the gross value of livestock production at approximately 18%. Cow milk production in our country is 600,000 tons, but approximately 170,000 tons are imported each year. In Greece, 63% of the trade deficit is due to livestock products, which shows that the domestic livestock industry has very low competitiveness. In recent years, the number of dairy farms in Greece has decreased. The decrease in farms was observed mainly in small-sized farms, while the number of medium and large farms increased, while there was an increase in milk production. Compared to previous years, dairy cow rearing conditions have improved significantly in the last decade. Stables that were traditionally used were replaced by new facilities, and the development of intensive feeding systems for dairy cows resulted in a significant improvement in the quality of the products and in their health, always in connection with the improvement of animal management conditions. The dairy cow farming business model is the path of the future for today's milk producers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the business model on the economic and productive viability of dairy farms in Central Macedonia, Greece. The data used in the case study was obtained from 186 dairy cow farms in the area, that participate in a program of genetic improvement of the Holstein breed. The statistical analysis of the survey was performed using the SPSS 24 statistical package. Results showed that there is a strong correlation between the form of the business model and the gross margin as well as basic financial indicators of the dairy farms.
Greece is the EU’s main cotton grower, accounting for more than 80 percent of total European production. About 79.700 producers are concentrated in Thessaly, Macedonia, Thrace, and Mainland Greece, the major cotton-producing areas. Cotton is essential for Greek agricultural production, accounting for more than nine percent of total agricultural output. Cotton in Greece is planted from March 1 to April 15, and the crop life cycle is usually 170 to 210 days, depending on the variety and weather conditions. The harvest typically occurs from October 1 to November 30; most cotton is machine harvested. Especially for Karditsa’s prefecture, cotton is the most important agricultural product. It covers an area of 40309 ha, when the area of all annual crops in the Prefecture is about 900000 str. (percentage 55%). Although farmers have cultivated cotton for many years, irrigation is a significant problem. The area under study is the Prefecture of Karditsa which is of particular interest because it is a part of the water district of Thessaly. This district consists of the most extensive plain of Greece and gathers all types of water consumption. It is an area where the occupations of most of the population are connected to the primary sector, which is confined almost exclusively to agriculture. For this reason, the resulting irrigation has an important role in both economic and social terms. Vouras, mentioned the critical significance of cotton growing in Greece. Karditsa's prefecture was one of the main areas, even in 1963. The increase in irrigation was one of the critical factors for the mass increase in cotton production (in addition to fertilizers, pesticides, and improved varieties of cotton. Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important component of the water cycle. It is composed of two subprocesses: evaporation from soil and vegetation surfaces and transpiration, which consists of the exchange of moisture between the plant and atmosphere through plant stomata. The importance of “evapotranspiration” (ET) in sustaining the global- and continental-scale “hydrologic cycle” and replenishing the world's “freshwater” resources have been recognized for thousands of years. The Blaney –Criddle method is a theoretical method to calculate the reference crop evapotranspiration. It is a simple method using only the measured date on temperature.
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