European Agri-Food Value Fund
[2m 11s read]
A new proposal for the creation of a “European Agri Food Guaranteed Value Fund” took center stage at the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, positioning Greece at the forefront of a broader European debate on financing innovation in the agri food sector. The initiative, presented by Antonis Rokakis, President of the Chania Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of the Union of Hellenic Chambers, aims to transform the “dead capital” of agri food inventories into a structured financial instrument capable of unlocking liquidity, stabilizing prices and strengthening the competitiveness of European producers.
Speaking at the policy forum of the Union of Hellenic Chambers, dedicated to the development agenda of Greece’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2027, Rokakis highlighted the strategic timing of the proposal. Greece will assume the EU Presidency just as negotiations begin for the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2028–2034, offering a unique opportunity to shape Europe’s future priorities on sustainable growth, competitiveness and food security. Within this context, the proposed Fund provides a concrete, actionable mechanism to address one of the most persistent structural challenges of the European agri food economy: the inability of producers to leverage the value of their maturing inventories.
Across Europe, thousands of producers and processors—from cheesemakers and olive oil mills to wineries and livestock operations—face chronic liquidity constraints. Raw materials, energy and labor must be paid upfront, while their products require months or even years of maturation before reaching the market. Although many of these products increase in value over time, the banking system continues to treat inventories as “dead capital,” forcing producers either to provide burdensome personal guarantees or to sell prematurely at a financial loss.
Rokakis emphasized that Europe already has successful models demonstrating how inventories can be converted into working capital. Italy’s “Cheese Bank” operated by Credito Emiliano (Credem) has, since 1953, financed small businesses using wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano as collateral, storing and maturing them under controlled conditions. Producers receive 60%–80% of the estimated value upfront, securing liquidity without compromising quality or pricing. Similarly, in Scotland, the whisky industry uses specialized inventory finance platforms such as Ferovinum to unlock millions of euros in working capital for distilleries and wineries.
Building on these examples, the Chania Chamber’s proposal outlines a unified European mechanism that would allow inventories to be recognized as guaranteed value. The Fund would rely on certified maturation warehouses, a digital registry ensuring full traceability of each batch, and a financial partner capable of providing 50%–70% of the estimated final value as advance liquidity. Funding streams from the CAP, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the European Investment Fund (EIF) and InvestEU could support the creation of a robust, pan European instrument designed to stabilize markets, enhance product quality and strengthen export performance.
The proposal targets high value agri food products such as graviera and kefalotyri cheeses, premium olive oils, aged wines and spirits, traditional cured meats and high quality honey. By guaranteeing proper maturation and enabling producers to avoid premature sales, the Fund would elevate the quality and prestige of European agri food brands, improving their penetration into premium international markets. At the same time, it would generate new employment opportunities in logistics, certification, digital tracking and inventory management.
Rokakis noted that the initiative is rooted in Crete—a region with a millennia long agri food tradition and a deeply ingrained culture of international trade dating back to Minoan times. He stressed that the Chamber system does not achieve internationalization through theoretical discussions or diplomatic networking alone, but through creative, evidence based proposals capable of evolving into comprehensive European policies that address the real challenges of the continent’s regions and agri food producers.
