Greece: Farmers "On Paper": The Crop - Olives or Subsidies?

New York Times article - "Hoping to Save a Way of Life by Rooting Out Greeks Who Farm on Paper" - Suzanne Daley and Dimitris Bounias

"Unlike other farm union leaders, Mr. Gontias wants to see an overhaul of the way things are done here. He is taking on what has long been an open secret: Hundreds of thousands of Greeks, who have other professions and may cultivate very little of their land, claim to be farmers in order to cash in on a variety of tax breaks and farming subsidies. Lawyers and doctors, for instance, plant olive groves in northern Greece, though the climate is inappropriate, and then collect government compensation for damaged crops. Mr. Gontias wants to “clean” them out of the system".

Thanks to June Samaras for the link.