Local products as a tool of development for the local economies

The last years, the European Union rural policies and in general the world trend is focused on a balanced rural development and especially with a major support on less favoured areas. This can be achieved by a differentiation strategy with supporting and promoting the local products of each area. Through this process it is aimed to create synergies among the local producers and the various distributors, and more over to add value on the final local product. The importance of the quality of the products has created a world trend on nutritional topics. This has caused a highly competitive food market, and the aspect of quality and locality can be a unique asset to sustain competitiveness on a global scale. Consumers, the last years, are getting more and more interested in the origin of their food not only for health and security reasons but also for an inner need to satisfy the lack of 'original' and 'traditional' flavours and tastes of their daily life. The geographical correlation of local products, with or without certification standards (PGO, PGI in the EU), can be considered by the consumer as a main quality characteristic, like 'traditional', 'original', etc. For a country like Greece, with a very long tradition in small local farms and producers and a very strong bond that exists between them and the rural areas, the SYAL approach is the ideal tool for promoting rural development and local economies with respect on economic competitiveness, social aspect and environmental restrictions. So through the SYAL approach local resources and local know-how are incorporated in the local products. This process increases the added value of the products on a collective intellectual property of the local agricultural society. The present research is a study in order to promote the effort of Skopelos island for the emergence of the uniqueness of the plum, as a PGO local product and the impact that it will have on the local economy.