00:01Naxos is the largest island in the Kyklades and its potatoes are renowned not only across Greece but also abroad.
00:08They are deeply rooted in the island's identity and economy and have held protected geographical indication status since 2010.
00:16Potatoes have been cultivated on Naxos since the late 18th century.
00:21So what makes Naxos potatoes so special?
00:24First we have an hour and a half of the sea.
00:28Second, we have the sea around 3-4 km.
00:34Third, we use in our land's trees and the fourth and the most important thing is that from the surface
00:45they are lying in some states.
00:47This is the ash and this is the 80% which gives us the taste.
00:55In the 1980s, the annual potato production on Axios reached around 15.000 tons.
01:01Around 300 families on the Kykladik island are now involved in potato farming while production has fallen dramatically to 5
01:08.000 tons a year.
01:10The shortage of agricultural workers has become particularly acute in recent years and is now a major concern for farmers.
01:17We will find farmers not only in Axios but also in Greece.
01:23What I see is that at 5-10 years there will not be any Greek farmer in Greece.
01:30We are still in traditional methods, decades back and we are not going to be different.
01:35In a agriculture, in something like that, with a smaller extent, better hours of work and more money.
01:44The Axios potato is a source of pride for the island.
01:48Local farmers explain what it means to them, their families and the wider community.
01:53The Axios potato is not just one of them. It is the history of the land, it is the production
01:59of the land, it is the economy of the land.
02:02It is the wealth of the agriculture and the food.
02:06Every year, Axios hosts a major festival celebrating its famous potato.
02:11This year, the 17th potato festival was held at the port of Axios, attracting more than 3.000 people.
02:17Residents and visitors sample the variety of dishes featuring Axios potato as the star ingredient.
02:22The celebrations also included live music and traditional Greek dancing.
02:26The
02:28The
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