PM highlights potential of agriculture sector at meeting with Georgian farmers
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia met with farmers of the Shida Kartli region of Georgia today. Photo: PM's press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia met with farmers of the Shida Kartli region of Georgia today, talked about the challenges the agriculture sector faces and introduced the government's plans to help the sector.
Gakharia said that agriculture is an industry that needs help financially, and it is the second field after tourism to receive assistance from the government.
The budget for assisting agriculture is about 300 million GEL. I understand that even more is needed, but the task of the responsible government is very simple, to fairly distribute resources available to a small country with a weak economy to all who need it. Today, this is the minimum we can do, and it should give us all the opportunity to save ourselves, keep working, and prepare for better times to come", Gakharia said.
As part of the government's anti-crisis plan for the agriculture sector of Georgia, 42,000 farmers will be exempt from paying irrigation taxes in 2020. Farmers that want to purchase special agricultural equipment, erect greenhouses or irrigation systems can apply to receive up to 50% financing from the state.
In addition, all farmers will receive 150 liters of diesel fuel per hectare in 2020 at a cost of GEL 1 less compared to the market price. As of May 22, over 5,000 farmers have already benefited from the government’s agro-diesel programme.
Farmers which have land plots between 0.25 to 10 hectares will receive 200 GEL for each hectare. About 200,000 farmers will receive these grants.
Gakharia said that it is not easy but Georgia needs to industrialise the agricultural sector and increase productivity.
He stated that food security is critically important for Georgia and the agricultural production process cannot be stopped 'for a single second ... farmers must continue working and there must not be uncultivated land left'.
Everyone saw that as soon as the crisis started, the Minister of Agriculture had to stock up on products, because neighbours and all the countries from which we were buying products were blocked and announced that the export was suspended", Gakharia said.
Gakharia said that agriculture has the potential in Georgia not only to feed the country but to develop exports as well.
Over 5,000 farmers have already benefited from the government’s agro-diesel programme said Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili, noting that farmers have received more than 2.7 million litres of diesel one lari cheaper than the market price.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced today that 42,000 farmers will be exempt from paying irrigation taxes in 2020.
Farmers which have land plots between 0.25 to 10 hectares will receive 200 GEL for each hectare, said Minister of Agriculture Levan Davitashvili earlier today.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced earlier today how the government intends to help businesses and agriculture during the COVID-19 crisis.
A new farm established in western Georgia with support of the government will export 45 tons of snails to Italy this year.
The government of Georgia is subsidising the cost of apples as a way to support fruit growers and processing companies, announces Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.
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The government of Georgia has decided to increase the subsidy amount for substandard apples and pay 22 tetri per per one kilogram of substandard apples instead of 10 tetri, Qs was announced earlier. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia explained that the goal is to support farmers in Georgia to handle economic challenges caused by COVID-19.