Economy Minister: no need to stock up on food supplies, logistics working
The economy minister said “there always are alternatives” for the Government with various countries interested in exporting products. Photo: Economy Ministry/Facebook
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There is no need for Georgian citizens to stock up on food products as supply lines are working, Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian Economy Minister, has told the public amid claims the country might be facing a shortage due to the war in Ukraine.
Davitashvili emphasised Georgia “always” has supplies of various products, claiming certain current shortages in markets could be explained by panic buying.
The economy minister also said “there always are alternatives” for the Government with various countries interested in exporting products.
We also have alternatives, including regional replacement alternatives, but in Ukraine’s case, [...] the supply lines can’t work due to war and that is the problem,” he added.
Davitashvili observed Georgia maintained trade relations with Russia and mentioned Central Asian countries as potential alternatives, specifically naming Kazakhstan.
Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia has said no shortage in stocks of food and primary consumer goods is observed in Georgia following the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine last month, stressing the importance of maintaining a “stable supply” of products in the market and avoiding “unreasonable price increases”.
Macroeconomic parameters in Georgia are “very healthy and stable” and depreciation of the Georgian lari exchange rate is mainly caused by “emotional factors,” Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili said on Tuesday.
The Georgian government has demonstrated a very high level of crisis management several times, Levan Davitashvili, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, said on Tuesday.
The trends and dynamics of the economic growth, exports and tourism in Georgia were at the top of the agenda of a meeting between Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and chairpersons of the Business Association and Georgian banks on Tuesday.
A US-Georgia free trade agreement (FTA) would have a net positive effect for both countries, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani told Brock Bierman, an opinion contributor for the American newspaper The Hill.
Problems related to the supply of wheat and flour in Georgia are neither observed nor expected, Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili said on Wednesday, adding it was foreseeable the export tax would be removed and the country would be able to buy wheat “on better terms and cheaper.”
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.
The Georgian Economy Ministry expects a potential decrease in fuel prices through importation of the product purchased at cheaper rates, Minister Levan Davitashvili said on Monday.
Construction and infrastructure projects, export potential, tourism, industrial and food supplies were the topics of discussion during a meeting of the Georgian Government’s Economic Council, led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, on Thursday.