The average monthly expenditure of Greek households on sheep and goat meat amounts to just €6.55 (2018). During the decade 2010–2019, the net domestic production of sheep and goat meat decreased by 33%, exports quadrupled, and imports fluctuated significantly around €31 million (with a minimum of €23 million in 2012 and a maximum of €39 million in 2011). Meanwhile, sheep and goat meat production in the EU steadily increased by 9.5% between 2014 and 2019. These factors indicate a shift in Greek sheep farming towards targeting EU markets.

The OG, by combining zootechnical expertise with digital technology, aims to modernize traditional sheep farming methods to first achieve the production of meat with the characteristics desired by developed markets and subsequently its standardization. The benefits for farmers will arise from:

• the expertise in nutrition and the production of consistent-quality, heavier carcasses, as well as from selective breeding techniques that extend the production period.
• the systematic evaluation and classification of carcasses, leading to their more efficient and effective utilization.
• the adoption of new cutting methods.
• the implementation of the innovative KalaΘos traceability system, which will monitor the flow of carcasses and their cuts/products throughout the entire value chain, providing real-time information on transport conditions.

The estimated increase in the economic value of a carcass weighing 18–20 kg is expected to reach 20%.