Beekeepers protest in central Athens over rising production costs

Beekeepers from around Greece gathered in central Athens on Thursday to protest the problems facing their sector, including high production cost and the unfair competition from imported honey labelled as Greek.

Shortly after 9 a.m., police closed Amalia Avenue to traffic as protesters arrived at Syntagma Square, some with trucks.

The president of the Association of Professional Beekeepers of Messinia, Laconia and Arcadia, Giorgos Sentementes, told state-run broadcaster ERT, that producers want the government to put a stop to the unfair competition caused by imported honey being sold as Greek at extremely low prices.

They are also demanding tax-free gas and modification of the fire ordinance which, according to Sentementes, prohibits beekeepers from entering the forests.