Exports of Georgian agricultural products reach record highs in 2018
Last year Georgia exported $959.2 million worth of agricultural products. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
The export of Georgian agricultural products marked new records in 2018, announces the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
Last year Georgia exported $959.2 million worth of agricultural products, up 23.2% compared to 2017, show the preliminary data.
The largest trading partners of Georgia were:
- Azerbaijan - 120%
- Kazakhstan - 78%
- Ukraine - 25%
- EU countries - 6%
The top exported goods were:
- Georgian wine - 15%
- Sheep or goat meat- 53%
- Non-alcoholic beverage drinks 54%
- Mineral and freshwater - 15%
- Alcoholic drinks - 2%
Georgia’s external trade grew by 17% in 2018, reaching $12.48 billion, says the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).Last year Georgia’s trade deficit came out to $5.76 billion, which was a 46.1% share of the country's total trade turnover.
The export of Georgian agricultural products to the EU countries is on the rise, says the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia. In the first quarter of 2018, Georgia exported agricultural goods worth $37.8 million.
The European Union (EU) has refused to import seven shipments of Georgian hazelnuts in 2018 due to the discovery of large amounts of the toxin aflatoxin..
Copper ores and concentrates, motor cars and ferro-alloys were Georgia’s top exported commodities in January-November 2018, shows the preliminary data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).
In January 2019 the external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) of Georgia amounted to USD 826.8 million, which is the 1.2 per cent higher compared to the same month of the last year, the Georgian National Statistics Office says.
Farmers in Georgia will soon have better access to agricultural equipment thanks to a new programme that the government of Georgia is launching.
Georgian Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili has revealed his office’s plans for 2019 while delivering a speech at the Parliament of Georgia.
Georgia’s external trade grew by 3.6% in January-February 2019, reaching $1.73 billion, says the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili spoke of the importance of boosting local business at the eastern Georgian region of Kvemo Kartli. The President visited several villages and met with the local population.
Georgia’s external trade with EU up 6.3%, with CIS up 2.8%
Georgia is increasing its role as an important trade partner the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), while trade turnover with the European Union decreased this year.
Trade turnover between Georgia and EU increased by 17.7% in comparison to 2017 and reached $3.35 billion in 2018, much in part thanks to the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) agreement with the EU.
Farmers in Georgia will be able to sell their products in the capital city of Tbilisi at special locations that will be allocated in all 10 districts of the city, Tbilisi City Hall announces.
Georgia is capable of claiming a niche for itself on the world market in organic produce, said Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze at a meeting with young Georgian farmers today.
The US Department of Agriculture will allocate more than $10 million under the Food and Progress programme to improve food safety and quality in Georgia’s dairy and beef production chains.