Bonded with wine, ouzo, spirits the region of Tyrnavos – for the old ones anyway it is perfectly identified with the song, which Spyros Zagoraeus used to say and spoil the tracks.
How he has managed and prospered for so many years, we are told by the president of the Tyrnavos Wine Cooperative, Christos Tsitsiringos, who represents the cooperative organization of both KEOSE and ETHEA.
With studies at the TEI Agricultural Machinery and Irrigations in Larissa, two sons of farmers and a daughter engineer, he hopes «how the new generation will love the earth and with its knowledge will bulge Greek agriculture and give new orientation and new bases, away from micro-party logic».
But the important issue he raises is that in a country like Greece, where the world has no confidence in the cooperatives, Thessalian producers consider that the many «brothers» They get better prices than their own logic. Here is what makes this cooperative, which has been operating since 1961, stand out in a mindset and practice through the words of its president, Christos Tsitsiringos, who has spent the 3rd term at his wheel.
Tyrnavu Wine Cooperative, 65 years of life. What is your secret and you have resisted the different crises that the country and the agricultural sector have been through?
The Tyrnavu Wine Cooperative measures 65 years of continuous presence and this in itself shows that there is no one «secret» But a firm philosophy. Our resistance to crises – economic, institutional or even climate – is based mainly on collectiveity and trust among members.
From our first day of operation, the aim was to support the winemaker of the region, giving him a way out for his production and fair compensation. This social footprint kept the cooperative alive even in the most difficult times for the country and the agricultural sector.
At the same time, we did not stand still. We didn't let party shades separate us. Our party perceptions stay outside the co-operative gate. We invested in modernisation, quality of our products and human resources. We adapted to market requirements, opened new paths to wines and spirits and emphasized extroversion.
Finally, responsibility for management and transparency played an important role. When members know that the cooperative operates with rules and perspective, they actively support it. That's the biggest. «principal» We've been all these years.
Since the historical cooperative of Ampelakia to date Thessaly has developed a particular cooperative culture. What are the main features of this culture that make Thessalus producers better function in cooperative schemes?
Thessaly has deep roots in the cooperative movement, already from the historical cooperative of the Abelakia. What makes it stand out is the consciousness of collective power: producers know that through organized schemes they can achieve better prices, stability and market access.
The main feature is the active participation of members. The cooperative is not treated as a mere business but as a joint effort, where everyone has reason and responsibility. This strengthens confidence and transparency.
At the same time, there is strong solidarity, especially in difficult times, and continuity from generation to generation plays an important role. Thus, the cooperative movement in Thessaly remains alive, adapted and is an essential tool of development for the rural world».
Several interventions have been made in legislation, there has been the issue of OPECEP and incentives have been given to develop cooperatives. What would you change to make cooperatives bloom again nationwide?
I would emphasise targeted and substantial incentives to strengthen the participation of producers in cooperatives. In particular, I would ask for a significant tax relief – 50% – for producers, co-operating to make it more attractive in practice, membership and residence in collective schemes.
At the same time, I think it is necessary to clarify the roles. Another is the productive cooperative, which operates as a business entity with a view to the development and value of products, and another is trade unionism, which has a different mission. This separation will strengthen the seriousness and credibility of the cooperative area.
Furthermore, I believe that those holding leadership positions should have proven professional activity and economic independence so that they do not depend on the cooperative for personal benefit. This enhances transparency and trust.
Finally, a stable institutional framework and less bureaucracy are needed. Only in this way can cooperatives regain momentum at a nationwide level.
You've managed to have 80 codes in wine and spirits. You recommissioned the aged tsipuro Tyrnavu, created a tsipouro with saffron. What does this market have in common, based on innovation?
The market for wine and spirits today has a common basic feature: it seeks diversification and authenticity through innovation. Consumers are no longer satisfied with a quality product, they want identity, history and something special.
For us, however, quality is above all. This is the foundation that allowed us to develop a wide portfolio of products and gain market confidence. At the same time, we constantly strengthen our presence through participations in exhibitions, conferences and competitions, showing our products in Greece and abroad.
Whether we are talking about the aged tsipouro Tyrnavu, or more modern approaches, such as the tsipouro with saffron, the common element is the connection of tradition with new ideas. Innovation for us means evolution, without losing authenticity.
At the same time, innovation alone is not enough. It needs proper advertising and targeted promotion so that the public can get to know the products and understand their uniqueness. In a highly competitive market, quality combined with active presence and communication is what ultimately makes the difference.
Export wines and spirits to Europe and to third countries. Tell us about the three biggest difficulties you've encountered so that the products have luck on the shelf
Export activity is a great challenge and it is not only the quality of the product to achieve. The first and most important difficulty is intense competition. In international markets Greek products are found against established countries with strong brands and a large presence on the shelf. We have made an effort and our products go from Canada to Australia.
The second difficulty concerns recognition. Greek wine and especially spirits, such as tsipouro, are not always known abroad. It takes constant effort, investment in market visibility and education to understand the product.
The third major challenge is cost and access to distribution networks. Transport, tariffs and the entry into organised chains require strong cooperation and consistency.
That is why we insist on our quality, stability and presence in international exhibitions, so that we can build our position in foreign markets step by step.
Climate change is here and Thessaly experienced it in the worst possible way in Janos, Daniel etc. What should be changed in the next CFP and what is your view of the vines and the new varieties?
Climate change is no longer a theoretical threat, we experience it strongly in Thessaly with phenomena such as «Jan» and «Daniel»The next CFP must emphasise prevention and resilience, with rapid compensation and substantial support for investment in infrastructure and adaptation measures.
As far as labelling is concerned, it is necessary but must be done with a strategy. For us, the priority is to shield the Muscat Tyrnavu variety, which is a key element of our identity. It's a single category and it always runs well in the market.
There is also a turn of youth towards wine and spirits – instead of hard drinks – and this can be seen in the tastings we make. In this direction, an attempt is already being made to choose and maintain the genetic material of the variety to preserve the highly qualitative and aromatic characteristics of the product in the area, while adapting it to the new climate conditions. New varieties may have a role, but should not alter the character of local wine-growing identity.
