Farmers receive $6,6 mln after selling 73,000 tonnes of apples via state programme
The body said the state subsidy promoting production of non-standard apples by farmers, launched in September, had exceeded ₾10 million ($3,7 mln) as part of the harvest. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Fruit processing enterprises involved in the Georgian state programme enabling farmers to submit their produce accepted over 73,000 tonnes of apples during the last harvest season, with producers making over $6,6 million in delivering their products, Georgia’s Rural Development Agency said on Friday.
The body said the state subsidy promoting production of non-standard apples by farmers, launched in September, had exceeded ₾10 million ($3,7 mln) as part of the harvest.
Within the programme, subsidy for each kilogram of non-standard apples was set at ₾0,10 ($0.03), with processing enterprises that bought each kilo from farmers for at least ₾0,24 ($0.08) qualifying for the subsidy.
Original forecasts had expected between 130-135 thousand tonnes during the harvest season across the country, the agency added.
It also noted 15 processing enterprises had participated in the programme in different regions of Georgia.
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.
A total of 14,600 tonnes of Georgian hazelnuts have been exported from August 1 to November 28, which amounted to 66.8 million USD, the Georgian Agriculture Ministry announces.
Georgia exported locally produced goods worth $2.98 billion in January-September 2021, which is 24% higher year-on-year, announces the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat). In January-September 2021 copper ores and concentrates reclaimed the first place in the list of top export items, equalling $571.7 million, or 26.4% of total exports.
Georgia has exported 10,848 tonnes of clementines between August 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021 which is a 38% increase compared to the same period of 2019, announces Georgian Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection.
Georgia has exported 1,636 tonnes of peaches and nectarines worth $1.43 million from May 1 to June 27 which is 18 times more than in the same period of last year, announces the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia.
Georgia has exported locally produced goods worth $5.59 billion in 2022, which is a 31.8 percent increase year-on-year, preliminary data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia show.
Georgia’s Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday said it expected this year’s apple harvest across the country to yield 50,000 tonnes.