Anastasia Balezdrova
Four days before the main Orthodox feast the central market in Athens Varvakios Agora is thronged with people. Small lambs and kids are hanging on hooks on stands of the meat sector, waiting for the customer who will roast them on Sunday. Around them are arranged all the offal necessary for the traditional soup magiritsa as well as pork and veal for those unfamiliar with the custom. Will, however, the Greeks celebrate this Easter or has the crisis hit their pocket so much that they find it difficult to celebrate the feast as they are accustomed?
The president of meat traders on Varvakios Agora Kleantis Tsironis and his colleagues expected the reduced flow of customers this year. "The regular customers of the central market are the people who suffered cuts in wages and pensions. However, I think that the Greeks are people who will observe the tradition and will roast a lamb for Easter. We would borrow money, but we will do it."
According to him, the decline in the turnover of meat trade varies between 25% and 30%, "but we, the traders on Varvakios Agora, have the advantage that the customers, who want to save the surplus charge of 2-3 euros per kg in the neighbourhood butchers and large supermarkets, where the quality is not same as ours, are returning to us."
This year, the lamb offered on Varvakios Agora costs between 7 and 10 euros/kg. "We sell it mainly at 7 euros. The people try to save even 50 cents, because the purchase of six kilograms of meat would save them 3 euros with which they could buy something else."
According to Kleantis Tsironis, this year the imported meat is more expensive than the local, unlike the previous years. "This is due to the fact that Turkey already buys lamb from Europe. There was foot-and-mouth disease in Bulgaria this year and the farmers were not able to export animals. Only Macedonia remains, but the country exports to Italy, because this year we are celebrating Easter on the same day with the Catholics. So, the price of animals there increased significantly, and therefore I preferred to offer customers local products."
The largest influx of customers, however, is expected on Friday and Saturday. "Traditionally, the majority of customers come in the last two days before the feast. If you want to roast a whole lamb you can not buy it earlier, because there is nowhere to store it."
The sellers of eggs also account for about 20% drop in the turnover. "We have customers, but they buy smaller quantities than in previous years. If some people bought 30 eggs before, now they buy up to 20 eggs, and some buy no more than ten," said for GRReporter one of the sellers on the central market.
Others offer ready, decorated eggs. "Many young hosts fail to decorate eggs or just do not want to do it. Furthermore, the decorated eggs are more shiny." Some customers even buy not decorated and a few decorated eggs to place them "on top because they are more beautiful."
Fruits and vegetables sellers also complain of lower turnover. "There is a decline, although the prices are lower than last year. We were selling a kilogram of tomatoes for 2.50 euros in 2010 and now we are selling it for a euro and a half."
All sellers are waiting for the last two days before the feast, when the flow of customers traditionally increases.
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