Agriculture Ministry: farmers earn over $3.29 from selling 9,000 tonnes of non-standard apples

A total of 9,000 tonnes of non-standard apples have been delivered by farmers to collecting companies during this year’s fruit harvest, resulting in earnings of over ₾2 million ($3.29mln), the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia said on Monday.

Davit Tsitlidze, the Director of the Rural Development Agency, said 12 companies were purchasing the product throughout the country starting at 25 tetri per kilogram, with 10 tetri being provided as state subsidies.

“The aim is to ensure smooth sales for farmers, and the delivery process will continue until December 15”, he said while visiting the coordination centre for the promotion of non-standard apple sales and a fruit processing enterprise Shindisi in the Shida Kartli region.

Shindisi is one of the companies registered in the coordination centre and has processed 4,000 tonnes of non-standard apples this year within the state programme.

• Gov’t to subsidise processing of non-standard apples, anticipates 50,000 tonnes of harvest

Under the state programme, 12 fruit processing companies are collecting the fruit at 14 points in Shida Kartli, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions of the country, the Ministry said.