Georgian blueberries hit UK supermarket shelves

Georgian blueberries will soon appear on the shelves of a top United Kingdom (UK) supermarket chain.

News released today revealed Walmart stores around the UK would soon stock Georgian blueberries.

The Georgian Government said this would be the second Georgian product to feature in the European market, after kiwifruit.

Looking ahead, Georgian blueberries will also be sold in Dutch, Armenian, Russian and Balkan markets.

A multi-million dollar blueberry plantation and processing plant was established several months ago on a 70ha piece of land in Laituri village in Georgia’s Ozurgeti region in a bid to counter Europe’s high demand of blueberries.

State-owned shareholding company the Partnership Fund (PF) established the $6.7 million USD (15 million GEL) facility together with local blueberry producers Vanrik Agro. The project was supported by German International Cooperation Agency GiZ and Khalik Bank, a subsidiary of the joint stock company Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan.

After being grown at the facility, the blueberries will be washed, assorted, snap frozen and prepared to be transported and sold in the European market by Vanrik Agro.

Georgia’s Agriculture Minister said the project would increase Georgia’s blueberry export capacity but the true goal of the project was to support local businesses and Georgia’s agricultural sector.

The Georgian Government did not specify when blueberries would begin to appear on UK shelves.