The beginnings of the Agricultural Cooperatives' Union of Zagora Pelion can be found in the last century. It was established in 1916 and is one of the first unions in the country (the law on Cooperative Unions was passed in 1915).
On the 27th of October 1916, 199 Zagorian people formed the Association, under the name "Commercial Cooperative of Agricultural Products of Zagora", which originally cultivated potatoes and hazelnuts.
The rising of the union commenced in the mid 60s with the spread of the Starkin Delicious apple variety in Zagora, whose soil and climate conditions has proved ideal for producing fruits and products of high quality and taste. The beginning was made. Shortly afterwards, in the 80's, the Cooperative made an amazing course which reaches up today, and has managed to collect the 98% of the producers.
In 1985 the Cooperative of Zagora changed form. With the approval of the new statute the cooperative changes its name and becomes the Agricultural Cooperatives' Union of Zagora Pelion, the form it has today, with trade mark and logo of corporate identity.
At the same time, the apples acquire the trade mark "ZΑΓΟΡΙΝ»/«ZAGORIN an internationally registered trademark.
Apples
Starking delicious: Large fruit, globular-shaped and elongated (masourato) with five typical mastoid outgrowths. Smooth-waxy bark with dark red color.
Golden delicious: Fruit medium to large, conical. Bark thin with yellow-orange color.
Royal Gala: Fruit of medium size, round. Moderately thick bark with red stripes.
Reinette du canada: Fruit large, globular-flattened. Bark moderately thick, yellow-green to orange or brown coating (the part facing the sun).
Pelion Firiki: Fruit of medium size, oblong (kouloroeideis). Bark moderately thick, greenish-red coating (the part that sees the sun).
Pears
Krystalli: Fruit of medium size, bell shaped (kodonoeides). Bark thin, smooth and greenish color.
Cherries
Strawberry of Pelion: Fruit large, heart-shaped. Bark white to yellow to ruby colour (where it sees the sun).
Tragana from Edessa: Fruit large, globular to heart-shaped. Bark dark red.
Kiwi
Kiwi of Pelion: Fruit large. Bark brown, fluffy.
Chestnut
Chestnut of Pelion: Fruit elliptical or triangular or spherical. Size medium to large, color brown.
Facilities
The Agricultural Cooperatives' Union of Zagora Pelion now own a privately owned modern complex with refrigerators - sorting out, which is considered the biggest in the Balkans, demonstrating continuous investments in the field of logistics modernization of infrastructure.
The up-to-date refrigeration spaces of 55.000 m3 (with controlled atmosphere chambers ULO more than 50%) have storage and maintaining capacity, over 10,000 tonnes, while the sorting is done by automatic electronic sorting machinery with capability of 180 tonnes in 8 hours (depending on the weight and color). On the premises also operate other micro-electronic machines.
Quality and certification
For over a century, the Agricultural Cooperative's Union of Zagora Pelion writes the history of greek apples and is placed among the top three model unions in Europe. Greek consumers are aware of the quality of the branded "Zagorin" apples while their reputation spread all over Europe, conquering the markets of Europe and of the Middle East.The Zagorin apples are considered among the best apples in the world. The European Union, since 1996, has recognized their outstandin quality by certifying them, as "Protected Designation of Origin"-POD (regulation ATC 1107-1196), an important distinction given only to high quality products.Furthermore, 100% of our apples are produced by the method of "Integrated Production", which guarantee that they are free from residues of pesticides and fertilizers. The cultivation of Zagora apples is certified by the official Greek organization AGROCERT. Apples are produced in a friendly to the environment manner and are safe for the consumer.