Even-though the economic benefits that are derived from the agricultural (greenhouse) character of the region have been undeniably positive, the one dimensional character of the economy has started to present various challenges to the economic, social and environmental foundation of the entire region.
The economic advantages derived directly from the climatic character of the area have become marginal. Extensive competition has constrained the pricing structure of the vegetable market while at the same time the production cost per unit of product has been climbing at an unsustainable and unjustifiable rate.
The labor intensity of the greenhouse industry, and the availability of low cost labor, offered by legal and illegal economic migrants, fueled a further expansion of the industry at the moment when sound investment and the opening of new markets should have been the focus. The relatively positive labor cost offered by migrant workers resulted in a status quo of the industry with a focus on increasing production volume with minimal and inconsequential effort placed on the opening of new markets and expansion of the product range. The limited land available for greenhouse construction in the lower flat regions has forced the placement of new greenhouses in areas of higher elevation, requiring extensive land preparation thereby permanently scaring the landscape and placing untenable demands on the regions limited water resources.
The area close to the sea with the high density of greenhouses is called xerokambos (ξερόκαμπος) (dry plane). It was until the beginning of the 70s indeed a dry plane. The cultivation of vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini etc) was done in this area prior to the arrival of greenouses. This activity started slowly after the end of the second world war with marginal economic benefits, constrained by the lack of water and the high probability of loosing the exposed crop to high winds, hail and the occasional, albeit infrequenct, frost. The fileds close to the sea, where most of the greenhouses are now located, were safer from frost but were susceptible to the very distructing salt spray from the sea during the frequent and violent southern storms.