Agriculture Minister: Georgian enterprises have no resources to export dairy products
Georgia’s National Food Agency said on March 6 negotiations were underway with various countries on export of animal products in order to diversify the market. Photo: mepa.gov.ge
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Georgia is dependent on import of dairy products “to some extent”, and enterprises in the country have no resources to export such goods on various markets, Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia said on Wednesday.
Making the comments following a public controversy over the Russian Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision agency Rosselkhoznadzor’s approval last week for 15 Georgian companies to supply milk and dairy products to Russia, Shamugia said the country’s “priority market” was the European Union.
The Minister also recalled “communications with the member states of the Eurasian Union" - economic union involving Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan - in 2020 regarding export of animal products “at the request of our entrepreneurs to support their activities,” adding the request was approved by the Russian authorities several days ago.
The Georgian Government aims to encourage farmers and entrepreneurs to access various markets, and the country has “concrete results” in this direction, the official said, citing a “significant increase” in exports to various markets, including European countries.
Shamugia also pointed out the state’s efforts for the introduction of the standards and regulations necessary for export of animal products, noting exports of Georgian honey to the EU had increased nine times in 2021 compared to the previous year.
Georgia’s National Food Agency said on March 6 negotiations were underway with various countries on export of animal products in order to diversify the market.
The Head of the National Food Agency Zurab Chekurashvili announced on March 3 Georgia would export both animal and plant products, including small and large cattle and locally produced honey to Saudi Arabia.
In January 2022, Georgia exported locally produced goods worth $331.3 million, a 47.6 percent increase year-on-year.
Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chairman of the Rules and Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, assessed Russia’s decision to open its market for Georgian dairy products as a “political provocation” on Monday.
The Russian authorities’ approval of importation of Georgian dairy relates to an application by Georgian private companies dating back to 2020, Levan Davitashvili, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, said on Monday.
Georgia will export both animal and plant products, including small and large cattle and locally produced honey, to Saudi Arabia, the Head of the National Food Agency Zurab Chekurashvili announced earlier today.
Georgia has exported locally produced goods worth $331.3 million in January 2022, which is 47.6 percent higher year-on-year, the preliminary data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) show.
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.
Georgian external trade turnover amounted to $2.5 billion in January-February 2022, an increase of 49.2 percent year-on-year, latest data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) shows.
Reforms in the forestry sector, air and water resources, waste management and trade relations were the topics covered at a meeting between Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister and Carl Hartzell, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday.
Challenges in Georgia’s winemaking sector and diversification of international markets for promoting sales of wine from the country were in the focus of a meeting between Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Agriculture Minister, Kelly Degnan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, and Peter Wiebler, the Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Georgia mission, on Thursday.
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.
Georgia has wheat resources enough for more than a month and more can be imported if necessary for food security, Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili said earlier today.
Meat production in Georgia increased in the first quarter of the year to reach 16.7 tonnes, a 5.7 percent increase compared to the same period of 2021, the latest preliminary data of the Georgian National Statistics Office showed along with a decrease in milk production.
Georgia has exported locally produced goods worth $1.58 billion between January-April, which is a 32.8 percent increase year-on-year, preliminary data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia show.
Georgia will host the second National Agrarian Olympiad this year to promote non-formal education and employment in the sector, the Agriculture Ministry announced on Friday.