Georgia enjoys plentiful grape, citrus and apple harvest

This year Georgia is enjoying a plentiful grape, citrus and apple harvest – and a larger than normal yield means farmers in Georgia’s regions are earning a higher income by selling their abundance of fresh produce.

Georgia’s leading wine-producing region Kakheti had generated more than 90 million GEL in income for local farmers from selling about 133,000 tonnes of grapes, which was a record for the region.

The grape harvest is coming to an end in Kakheti however it is still in full-swing in Georgia’s nearby Racha region.

Today Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili received a report about this year’s harvest from Agriculture Minister Otar Danelia. The report noted the special coordination centre for grape picking would soon close in Kakheti.

Meanwhile in Racha, as of today about 400 tonnes of grapes have been processed this season. The average price for one kilogram of grapes in Racha was five GEL.

Danelia said this year Georgia was expecting an increased citrus harvest. Next week representatives of the Agriculture Ministry will visit Georgia’s western regions, where the citrus harvest will start in a few weeks’ time.

Meanwhile, the apple harvest was successfully continuing in Georgia’s Shida Kartli region. Danelia said increased demand on apples this year meant the price of apples had increased to two GEL per kilogram of apples. This price increase would have a flow-on effect and benefit local growers.