Chip and deal in Greece

Olive producers in Greece are facing an unprecedented increase in theft of their products.

They steal not only the fruits themselves, but also the finished oil. So recently, an agricultural cooperative in the north of Chalkidiki lost 37 tons of fresh olive oil overnight: workers who came to the warehouse found empty barrels instead of goods worth 370,000 euros. Of course, the police have opened a case of grand theft, but it is still unknown whether the robbers will be caught.

The cooperative of 200 local farmers typically produces around 300 tons of olive oil. But this year, as a result of weather disasters, the olive harvest is much smaller and every ton of oil is worth its weight in gold. By December, the price of 1 liter of olive oil is predicted to be 15 euros. Concerned about the safety of their products, farmers are considering installing microchips directly into olive fruits.

The chip developed for these purposes is painted green or black and is completely invisible from the outside. The radio transmitter built into it is capable of tracking the movement of products in order, if necessary, to return the goods to the manufacturer.

But this year, harvest failure in Greece did not only occur in olive plantations. The amount of harvested grapes decreased by 40%, and potatoes - by almost 50! Prices are creeping up, making agricultural products extremely expensive and attractive for theft. Will farmers now have to chip every potato to combat theft?