Economy

Economic Characteristics

The economy is mainly rural based and includes farming and agriculture, forestry, ecotourism and winter sports. It has the same profile as the County as a whole.

Farming and agriculture has, in the past, formed the basis and character of the economy of the municipality and the County as a whole. This sector is also an important axis of development, mainly in mountain communities and especially the municipality of Deskati (currently 10% of GDP is generated agriculture). The shift towards manufacturing, retail trade and services, and tourism (ΠΠΧΣΑΑ West Macedonia), was one of the main development objectives of the last 15 years, following the general course of the Greek economy (78% of GDP is generated by the service sector).

The manufacturing sector is poorly developed in the municipality, and currently accounts for 22% of GDP. According to a study in the region of Western Macedonia on the implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the policy changes will negatively affect crop producers mainly and livestock production to a lesser degree. A distinction must be made between directly affected crops, such as sugar beet and tobacco and on other crops which can, and must retain and improve their participation in the rural economy, such as the fruit trees trees and vines.

Indeed, given the fact that the new policy gives priority to the development of new methods of these activities (farming and stockbreeding) and their support of manufacturing units, made clear the need "to improve human resource skills", which is already being promoted by the ΠΕΠ programs of Western Macedonia (2007-2013).

Action in the tourism sector, taking into account the emerging impact of the current financial crisis, and the establishment of special thematic forms of tourism, combining them with other productive sectors of the local economy (e.g. ecotourism) comprise the ΠΠΧΣΑΑ direction and Western Macedonia for the municipality of Grevena is expected to dominate mainly due to its diversity in the tourist sector.

In any case, avoiding economic one-way streets and the development of new and sustainable economic activities, which will exploit the natural wealth of the region, without negatively impacting the environment is a key development goal for the region.

Source: www.dimosgrevenon.gr, strategic planning 2012-2014