Georgian products: made in the occupation zone

Apple chips produced by a group of food technology students at Georgia’s Agricultural University will be introduced to the Chinese market, announced Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, who visited the plant today.

The apple chips production plant is located in the village of Ditsi in Georgia’s Shida Kartli region, close to the occupation line, where Russian occupation forces periodically move the de-facto border line inside Georgian-controlled territory.

The students, winners of the ‘Start-up Georgia’ programme, decided to start making apple chips in the village of Ditsi and offer a healthier alternative of traditional chips to customers, especially when Georgia’s Shida Kartli region is the major production region of apple.

As of today 11 people are employed at the enterprise. Photo: PM's press office. 

The total cost of the project was 100,000 GEL (about $37,523/ €32,926). ‘Start-up Georgia’ funded the project with 90,000 GEL (about $33,771/€29,634), and with this funding company Enkani was created.  At this stage 11 people are employed at the enterprise, all locals.

We are in the beautiful village of Ditsi, which is located at the occupation line, so we face many challenges in this village. Three Georgian young people decided to make a unique enterprise in Ditsi and our start-up platform financed it. Apple chips have become popular not only on the Georgian market, but a contract was signed with China [to import the Georgian product]. Developing the entrepreneurial spirit is important for overcoming the economic challenges our country faces”, Bakhtadze said.

The founder of Enkani, Shalva Mdzinarashvili told news agency Commersant that Enkani’s apple chips may also enter the United States market in 2019. He said that a test batch of Georgian apple chips had already been sent to the US and the company is waiting for the final conclusion of experts. 

Besides apple chips from Ditsi, another agricultural product, dog-rose, has recently been promoted. A group of volunteers started a social media campaign on Facebook, calling on the public to buy dog-rose from Atotsi, a village also located near the occupation line and recently became another victim of 'borderisation'.  

One company took responsibility on packaging Atotsi dog-roses. Photo:Nini Bregadze/Facebook user.

Some markets and food facilities in Tbilisi decided to help people living in Atotsi in selling dog-roses, which is their main source of income. They encourage consumers to buy dog-roses from Atotsi as the product is very useful for health and at the same time this way people will help Atotsi inhabitants.