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New hazelnut enterprise opens in Lagodekhi Municipality
New hazelnut processing and storage enterprise operates in the village Tela, Lagodekhi Municipality. The Deputies of the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Giorgi Khanishvili and Khatia Tsilosani, together with the Mission Director of USAID/Georgia , Peter Wiebler opened the enterprise."The new hazelnut enterprise will enable farmers to minimize post-harvest losses. The enterprise has the capacity for drying, processing and storing of products at a high level, which increases the cost of hazelnuts. I would like to express my gratitude to the American side for actively supporting us in developing Georgian farming "said the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Giorgi Khanishvili.
"We are cooperating with the Government of Georgia, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and Agricultural and Rural Development Agency, as well as with the private sector. The private entrepreneurs and farmers investing in similar institutions are creating proper conditions for hazelnut market, which means getting better products, generating more revenue, and creating more jobs. Moreover, opening a new enterprise is important not only for Kakheti region, but for the entire country. The economic growth plays a key role in the repairing of the damage caused by the new coronavirus pandemic in Georgia. Therefore, it is important to create new jobs in the hazelnut market "said Peter Wiebler.
The enterprise was built in the village Tela with the support of the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and Georgian Hazelnut Development Project (AgriGeorgia / Ferrero, USAID and CNFA Joint Project), which is operated by Agritrade Ltd. In total, more than 900,000 GEL was invested in the enterprise, out of which up to 500,000 GEL is a preferential agro-credit. 16 new jobs were created in the new enterprise. The enterprise will serve to about 200 farmers annually.
The First Deputy Representative of Kakheti region, Irakli Shioshvili, Mayor of Lagodekhi, Jondo Mdivnishvili together with the Head of the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Ilia Tamarashvili attended the opening of the new enterprise.