FAO expert floats export potential of Georgian nuts

The export of nuts from Georgia will exceed the export of wine in the near future, Andrei Yarmak, economist and expert at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) told East Fruit, an international analytical platform for fruit and vegetables.

Andrei Yarmak said that walnuts, almonds and pistachios have great potential to become successful export products.

It so happened that mainly hazelnuts are produced in Georgia. Almonds and walnuts were not manufactured for industrial purposes, because people were not aware of their potential. However, today technologies exist for successful production”.

• Georgia fosters hazelnut production

Andrei Yarmak said that Georgia’s natural climate may be better for walnuts than hazelnuts, though in both cases it is close to an ideal one.

Georgia’s natural environment is suitable for almonds. It is a very profitable crop. The country has areas where it can be easily produced. I think that the income from walnuts will exceed the income from wine in 10 or 15 years. Investors are eager to produce walnuts and hazelnuts in Georgia”, Andrei Yarmak told to East Fruit.

The expert also commented on the current situation of hazelnut production in Georgia, which was devastated by fungal diseases and the brown marmorated stink bug.

Andrei Yarmak expressed hope that the problem will be finally eliminated and there will be new opportunities in the Georgian nuts industry.