#26 Greek agriculture migrant labour: Christos Giannakakis on immigrant workers and farming's future

Greek agriculture migrant labour keeps the country's farms running despite legal grey zones. Christos Giannakakis discusses immigrant workers, agricultural cooperatives, and the structural dependence on seasonal and undocumented labour.

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

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mKCVZFNdfak

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.

00:00 Introduction
02:35 A History of Labor – From Local to Foreign Hands
05:53 Present Realities — Who Harvests Greece’s Food?
09:36 Working in the Shadows – Irregular Employment
13:10 Bureaucracy vs. Reality — Legal Pathways Blocked
19:20 Egypt as a Missed Opportunity
21:20 Wage Dynamics and Market Forces
26:25 Innovating to Survive – Mechanization in Agriculture
29:10 Housing the Workforce – Living Conditions for Migrants
32:02 Human Dignity and Labor Migration