Agriculture Minister: perennial crops production up 33% in recent years
Shamugia said the diversification of Georgia’s export market was one of the country’s main goals and noted in 2021 exports had been made to 99 countries. Photo: Georgian Agriculture Ministry
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Production of perennial crops in Georgia has increased by 33 percent in recent years and amounted to 600,000 tonnes, Otar Shamugia, the Agriculture Minister of the country, said on Thursday.
Shamugia further noted in 2021 a new perennial garden had been planted on more than 3,600 hectares under the Government programme Plant the Future, adding the resulting export products including walnuts and berries were in demand.
One of the most in-demand state programmes we are implementing is Plant the Future - a programme that allows farmers to plant modern, intensive orchards and get high-quality abundant crop for both export and local markets,” Shamugia said.
During his address to MPs in the Minister’s Hour format, Shamugia also pointed out it would be possible to increase the self-sufficiency of wheat production in the country from 15 to 50 percent in a few years, saying the Government would present a programme developed with the involvement of the scientists and focusing on a “significant increase” in grain production.
He also announced an assistance package to help farmers finance the costs of production under the preferential agro-credit state programme.
Shamugia said the diversification of Georgia’s export market was one of the country’s main goals and noted in 2021 exports had been made to 99 countries.
In other figures, the output of agriculture, forestry and fisheries amounted to ₾6 billion ($1.9bln/€1.8bln), while the total output of agricultural products totalled ₾7.3 billion ($2.3bln/€2.2bln) in 2021, he added.
The official also noted the area of irrigated agricultural land had increased from 45,000 to 160,000 hectares, while the area of drained land had increased from 14,000 to 43,000 hectares in Georgia, adding new pumping stations had been put into operation.
Georgia has the resources to increase its wheat self-sufficiency to 50 percent, Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia said on Wednesday, noting the state was ready to develop “stimulating projects” aimed at increasing wheat production in the country.
Georgia’s wine export growth rate reached more than 40 percent in January-February 2022, the Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia said on Monday, adding the figure reflected the “purposeful policy” of the Georgian Government.
Georgian farmers will be able to get low-interest loans for production of annual crops, following latest changes to the preferential agro-credit state programme, Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia announced on Monday.
There will be “no delays” in terms of product supplies for Georgian consumers, Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia said on Thursday.
Shamugia made the comment responding to speculation over a possible lack of availability of products in connection to the conflict in Ukraine, while also urging the public to refrain from buying in bulk to avoid an artificial increase in prices.
Vegetable production in Georgia has increased by 15 percent in recent years and amounted to 176.1 tonnes, Otar Shamugia, the Agriculture Minister of the country, said on Thursday.
Georgia’s previous 80 percent dependence on wine exports to the Russian market has dropped to 57 percent, Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, said on Monday.
Georgia and Moldova are facing “common challenges” in the wake of the two countries’ formal European Union membership bids after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, said while stressing the importance of a “positive outcome” of the applications for the two states on Saturday.
A total of 4,305 preferential loans worth ₾70.9 million ($23.7mln/€22mln) have been issued in Georgia since March 22 to promote cultivation of annual crops, the Georgian Agriculture Ministry announced on Thursday.
The Georgian Agriculture Ministry said on Friday it was expecting an “abundant” apple harvest of between 130-135 thousand tonnes in the country this year.
The Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia is launching a $150 million project with the Government and the World Bank to renovate and modernise amelioration infrastructure in select locations in the country.
Georgia’s Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday said it expected this year’s apple harvest across the country to yield 50,000 tonnes.