EU, Sweden, Austria support boosting organic tea production in Georgian mountain regions

The European Union, Sweden and Austria are supporting organic tea production in highland regions of Georgia under a project set to equip producers with modern hardware and provide them with training.

Producers in the north-western Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, western Zemo Imereti, and highland municipalities of Mestia, Lentekhi, Tsageri, Oni, Ambrolauri, Sachkhere, Chiatura and Tkibuli are involved in the Green Economy: Sustainable Mountain Tourism and Organic Agriculture project.

Organisers of the GRETA project said even though the Georgian Government had already created a programme to assist local entrepreneurs in restoring old tea plantations and bolster organic tea production, "some of them lacked not only market connections and experience, they also did not have the necessary equipment". 

• Georgian Government steps up support for tea industry

At this critical juncture, the EU, Sweden and Austria in the frame of the GRETA project offered them the necessary assistance. GRETA project focuses on the enormous potential of Georgia’s mountainous regions, with the aim of improving the business environment and generating new opportunities in mountain tourism and organic agriculture", the project website reads.

Sigrid Brettel, the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Georgia, said she had been “impressed” by commitment of local producers working with support of the project to grow a high quality product while respecting the environment.

Over several cups of very tasty herbal green black and white tea I learned that the climate in mountainous west Georgia is especially suitable for organic tea production with no need for pesticides", Brettel said.

Watch the video below to find out more about the project:

She also said a number of Georgian organic tea growers were already successfully exporting their products, with the project organisers looking to "see many more successful Georgian tea producers". 

Alexander Karner, the Head of Office at the Austrian Development Agency in Georgia, said the country had “a lot of various good agriculture products”, adding the Agency strove to further strengthen local organic production.

“We do this through trainings, we do this with capacity building but we also equip [producers] with several devices which will help them to improve their organic agriculture now and in the future”, he added.