The most valuable Greek imports also include mobile phones and computers. Imported cars and automobile parts are other product areas where Greece shows strong demand.
The following list shows on which product categories Greek importers spent the most. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level.
This level of granularity can help entrepreneurs identify more precisely which products in which Greece has strong demand perhaps competitive disadvantages compared with other nations. Innovation satisfying that demand can transform these disadvantages into lucrative business opportunities.
For the most recent four-digit HTS code data, please see the link to Greece’s Top 10 Imports article in the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value Greek Import Products
Below are the 20 highest value import products delivered to Greek importers in 2017. Shown within brackets is the change in value over a 5-year period.
- Crude oil: US$8.7 billion (Down -46.1% from 2013 to 2017)
- Processed petroleum oils: $3.5 billion (Down -21%)
- Cruise/cargo ships, barges: $3.3 billion (Up 106.9%)
- Medication mixes in dosage: $2.5 billion (Down -14.9%)
- Cars: $1.3 billion (Up 65.6%)
- Petroleum gases: $1.2 billion (Down -37%)
- Aluminum (unwrought): $788.9 million (Up 76.4%)
- Computers, optical readers: $756.7 million (Up 75.8%)
- Phone system devices including smartphones: $752.5 million (Up 8.8%)
- Blood fractions (including antisera): $554.6 million (Up 42.6%)
- Swine meat: $533.7 million (Down -7.5%)
- Refined copper, unwrought alloys: $526.1 million (Up 27.5%)
- Cheese, curd: $518.4 million (Down -8.9%)
- Ethylene polymers: $480.1 million (Down -4.7%)
- Fresh or chilled beef: $458.2 million (Down -7.9%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $420 million (Up 14.2%)
- Electrical energy: $362.4 million (Up 33.5%)
- Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays): $355.6 million (Up 9.6%)
- Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $334 million (Down -2.4%)
- Iron or steel scrap: $254.7 million (Up 138.5%)
The fastest-growing product subcategories from 2013 to 2017 were iron or steel scrap via a 138.5% increase.
In second place were imported cruise or cargo ships and boats (up 106.9%) trailed by aluminum (up 76.4%), computers including optical readers (up 75.8%) and cars (up 65.6%).
Leading the value decliners were Greek imports of crude oil (down -46.1%), petroleum gases (down -37%) and refined petroleum oils (down -21%).
See also Greece’s Top 10 Exports, Greece’s Top 10 Imports, Greece’s Top Trading Partners and Top EU Export Countries
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on February 20, 2018
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Imports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on February 20, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on February 20, 2018