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Initiative

"Thrace Mills" support the farmers of Thrace in cooperation with the Democritus University of Thrace

"Thrace Mills" support the farmers of Thrace in cooperation with the Democritus University of Thrace
SUBMITTED FROM:

FLOURMILLS THRAKIS I.OUZOUNOPOULOS S.A.

For nearly a century, Thrace Mills have produced a wide range of cooking and baking products, according to the needs of both domestic and foreign marketplaces.

 

Read more: myloi-thrakis.gr


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Objective Action

The main aim of the action was to upgrade the milling wheat crops in the area of Thrace.

 

Target Audience

Producers of milling wheat in Thrace.

 

Duration

Ongoing: 2010 - 2017.


Description

During the last three decades agricultural policy, established by the European Union, subsidized durum wheat in order to strengthen the Italian pasta industry. As a consequence, that led to the marginalization of soft (milling) wheat crop in the region of Western (Greek) Thrace. It’s cultivation was competitive to that of the durum wheat so farmers turned to the latter. Milling wheat crops not only fell sharply but also their quality was poor because farmers were not following the appropriate farming practices. For all these years, Greece has been deficient in quantities of milling wheat but, also, in wheat of high quality. That is the reason Greece was forced to meet its needs with imported wheat. In 2010, the company "Thrace Mills" decides to launch a major effort to return in Thrace a mass production of milling wheat of high quality and, therefore, of added value.
 

The first step was to ensure that the product will have good agronomic characteristics in the region of Thrace that is good yields and good baking quality. The investigation focused on finding:
 

  1. Suitable high-tech varieties.
  2. Good growing conditions (soil, fertilizing, pest management).
     

Experimental crops were, therefore, performed at the farm of the University where 22 seeds with different characteristics and origin were examined, of high tech but, also, of native varieties. The first phase was completed with the selection of the best varieties in accordance with agronomic and quality criteria set. The company "Thrace Mills" examined the bakery features according to the expertise of the flour and the University the agronomic features and together they chose the most suitable varieties. During the next year (2011), simultaneously with the experimentation within the farm of the University, experiments were launched in real conditions with 19 selected farmers in 1,500 acres for the selected varieties. A "cultivation calendar" was designed jointly by “Thrace Mills” and the University in which the most important aspects of cultivation were recorded and a program of visits per crop was established to control the farmers’ correct practices. There was a continuous contact between “Thrace Mills” agriculturists and the growers, on the one hand, and the University, on the other, with the latter providing technical and scientific support of the company to monitor the crop. By the end of the growing year, the varieties which were recorded as to their agronomic data in real and ideal (University Farm) conditions were collected separately by Thrace Mills and were grinded, for the first time on an industrial scale, and tested for their bakery features. So, the second phase of the varieties selection was completed where the best (varieties) that were selected in the first phase were assorted following the same selection process.


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Impact on Society

  • In 2004, Thrace Mills grinded 100% imported wheat. Today, over 70% of the raw material is from the area. In 2011, Thrace Mills cooperated with 19 producers and cultivated under contracts 1,500 acres, next year with 90 producers and 9,000 acres, then 4,000 producers and 18,500 acres and finally, this year with over 600 producers and cultivated 35,000 acres. The upgrade program of the milling wheat crops by Thrace Mills with the participation of the Democritus University of Thrace since 2010 is continuous, evolving up to date and will continue to select the best varieties and growing conditions to produce high value-added wheat. The year 2017 acres amounted to 20,000.
  • At the same time, the University's contribution optimized parameters of wheat cultivation conditions.
  • So, all tools are provided to the producer to ensure its cultivation.


Initiative Location

East Macedonia – Thrace region.


Working with Organization

Thrace Mills worked together with the Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace and the local producers in the region of Thrace in an integrated effort.


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Workers Participation

Thrace Mills: employ 6 persons in the quality control Department, 4 in the agriculturist Dept, as well as persons who work for the production relevant to the receipt of the wheat and the grinding, the transport Dept. at a number of about 20 as a whole.
The University: employs about 5 students and 2 professors while, the producers involved in the program this year are more than 600, with 18 brokers/agriculturist centre that act as intermediates between Thrakis Mills and farmers.


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Benefits for Οrganization

  • The product obtained is of added value for the farmer and for the Flour Mill.
  • Thrace Mills produce agricultural products used to create special flour.
  • Increased recognition of the company and improvement of its exports.
  • Reset of the rich granary of Thrace region with milling wheat of high quality, as it was when the company "Thrace Mills" was founded in 1977, with its headquarters in Alexandroupolis.



Connection with Global Goals







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