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Minister Davitashvili: “Blueberry export volume has exceeded three million GEL”
Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA), Mr Levan Davitashvili joined Mr Giorgi Sakhokia, State Trustee of the Guria region in a visit to the agricultural cooperative ′′Nagomri Agro House′′, which harvests blueberry plantations. “Berry crops and specifically blueberry have become increasingly popular throughout the recent years and have been exported at an intensive pace. Last year, fruit export has significantly complemented export amount from Georgia. Blueberry export has amounted to more than three million GEL and it will be annually growing, resulting from flowering more and more plantations” – Minister Davitashvili stated.The State-deployed assistance programs unites five entities of the rural-agricultural cooperative “Nagomri Agro House”, which has cultivated a 2,5 hectares blueberry garden. Investments for the new plantation has amounted to more than 150, 000 GEL, including more than 100, 000 GEL of preferential agro-credit. Moreover, 35, 000 GEL of co-funding have been allocated from the “Plant the Future” project.
The blueberry garden employs 30 locals at seasonal jobs. The production is available at local, as well as export markets. The State-deployed efforts have emphasized on actions to enhance agriculture, thus, enabling farmers to produce a competitive production.
In frames of the “Plant the Future” project in the Guria region, gardens on more than 450 hectares have been cultivated. Out of these, more than 276 are blueberry plantations. Co-funding of the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency exceeds 6 million GEL.
At a visit to the “Nagomri Agro House”, Minister Davitashvili enjoyed a company of Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri Majoritarian MP Vasil Chigogidze, MP Khatia Tsilosani, first Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee and Mr Ilia Tamarashvili, head of the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency.