For generations, the potato has been more than a crop on the island of Naxos, the largest in the Cyclades chain in the middle of the Aegean. The crop has been part of the island’s agricultural identity for decades now. Today, however, the famed Naxos potato is facing a combination of pressures that threaten the future of its cultivation.
With a history dating back to the late 18th century and a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status since 2010, the Naxos potato remains an important part of the island’s productive economy. However, illegal relabeling of potatoes from elsewhere as “Naxos potatoes”, a shortage of farm hands, water scarcity and the growing distance of younger generations from farming are putting increasing pressure on production.
The microclimate behind the flavor
The island’s particular microclimate is considered one of the factors behind the potato’s distinctive characteristics.
Stelios Vathrakokoilis, one of Naxos’ largest producers and president of the Galanado Agricultural Cooperative, told Euronews that sunshine, the island’s proximity to the sea, the use of cow manure and, above all, the composition of the soil contribute to the product’s distinctive taste.
He said Naxos’ subsoil has a low calcium content, which he considers an important factor in the potato’s flavor.
The crop has nevertheless declined substantially over the decades. Annual production reached about 15,000 tons in the 1980s, compared with roughly 5,000 tons today. Only about 300 families remain actively involved in potato cultivation, as younger residents increasingly pursue other professions.
The decline comes as producers also complain of widespread illegal relabeling, with potatoes grown elsewhere being sold as Naxos potatoes.
“Some people buy potatoes from other regions, even from other continents, especially Egypt. They take them to their packing facilities, package them and sell them as Naxos potatoes,” Vathrakokoilis said.
He said the practice is particularly widespread at open-air markets, claiming that “out of 40 stalls, perhaps one or two sell the real product.”
Water scarcity adds to the pressure
Production is also being squeezed by rising cultivation costs, prolonged dry conditions and a shortage of agricultural workers.
Water scarcity has placed an additional burden on farmers, with some forced to purchase expensive desalinated water from the municipality.
“It is not sustainable to pay 2.5 euros per liter for diesel, have fertilizer prices through the roof, seed prices through the roof and monthly wages of around 2,500 euros,” Vathrakokoilis said, warning that if the situation continues, “we will be looking through binoculars to find a farmer.”
The pressure comes as Naxos faces the wider water challenges affecting many Greek islands, where limited freshwater resources, rising demand and increasingly prolonged dry periods have become a growing concern. Agricultural production is particularly vulnerable because irrigation competes with domestic and tourism-related demand for increasingly scarce water.
For Naxos, the stakes extend beyond one agricultural product. The island has a long-standing farming tradition alongside its tourism economy, and the potato has become one of the most recognizable products associated with its agricultural identity.
Despite the difficulties, the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Naxos, which is marking its centenary, continues efforts to support local production and protect the product’s identity.
The challenge is therefore not simply to preserve a famous potato variety. It is to maintain the farming communities, water resources and local production system that have allowed Naxos potatoes to remain a distinctive part of the island’s agricultural heritage.
