New state programme offers co-financing of small equipment to farmers in highlands

Residents of mountainous areas of Georgia will be able to purchase small-scale farming equipment with state co-funding thanks to a new ₾5 million ($1.85mln) programme approved at today’s Government meeting.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia said the new programme was created to “support the needs of farmers owning small plots of agricultural land” in highland settlements.

The body added the programme would offer co-financing of the cost of small agricultural equipment by 70 percent under a ₾2,500 ($926) limit for the total cost.

Farmers will be able to apply for the programme next month.

The Ministry also noted the budget of the co-financing programme for harvesting agricultural machinery had been increased this year. It noted the budget was increasing from ₾7 million ($2.59mln) last year to ₾10 million ($3.70mln) in 2024.

The body added considering “great interest” in the programme, the percentage of co-financing from the state was set at 30 percent of the cost with the upper limit of ₾150,000 (55,562), with the new terms including grape harvesting equipment.

A total of 7,500 units of agricultural equipment and implements of various capacities worth more than ₾440 million ($163mln) have been purchased throughout the country through various supporting programmes since 2013, the Ministry added.