Agriculture Minister: most open air produce markets not observing hygiene requirements

Out of the 80 open air produce markets registered in Georgia, most of them are not observing hygiene requirements, so we should not think that all markets will start working today, said Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili. 

Georgia has begun the first stage of a plan to gradually lift coronavirus-related restrictions today, including allowing open air markets to resume operations after they had been closed to prevent the further spread of the new coronavirus in the country. 

• Georgia begins lifting several coronavirus-related restrictions

The National Food Agency in cooperation with doctors has developed very detailed guidelines which ensure the observance of hygienic and sanitary standards to reduce the risk of spreading the infection. These are the guidelines which should be observed by each produce market whether it is wholesale or retail,” said Davitashvili.

Davitashvili noted that open air produce markets will be opened gradually in different municipalities of Georgia as well as in Tbilisi. 

In order for markets to be opened, they should fulfill all the requirements including thermal screening of traders. They also should have done proper sanitising works. Wearing face masks and gloves in the markets are also necessary. 

Produce markets have been opened today in Batumi and Kobuleti, western Georgia. 

It has been one month since I have not worked. It is very good to open markets. They told us that every day they will monitor us by thermal screening, also face-masks and gloves are necessary. These rules are needed for us and for customers also. We are two at the counter, but we do not stand less than 2 meters apart,” a Batumi market trader told the Georgian Public Broadcaster.

A wholesale produce market has been also opened today in Marneuli municipality, eastern Georgia. 

All the regulations are being observed at the market. Thermal screening is being carried out. The recommendations are being observed in the process of the trading, including distancing”, said Mayor of Marneuli Municipality Zaur Dargali. 

Meanwhile, an open air produce market was closed three hours after it opened earlier today in Telavi, eastern Georgia. The National Food Agency fined the administration of the market 3,000 GEL ($936/€862) for not ensuring hygiene standards at the market. 

Some of the traders were found to not be wearing face masks properly, some of them did not have gloves, noted the administration of the market.