Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

Otar Shamugia met with the hazelnut farmers in the village of Rukhi

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Mr. Otar Shamugia together with the State Representative of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Region, Giorgi Guguchia visited the village of Rukhi in Zugdidi Municipality.
The Minister, together with the representatives of the Georgian Hazelnut Growers Association visited the hazelnut orchards and met with the local farmers.
"Hazelnut production is one of the priority areas in Georgia. As we are all aware, the invasion of the Asian stink bug was a challenge we faced in the country and it is still on the agenda. The state, together with the farmers, with the support of the Georgian Hazelnut Growers Association carried out important events.
We have planned important works this year as well, and appropriate funds have already been allocated in this respect. We will take all measures to minimize the damage caused by the Asian stink bug.
Coordinated efforts between the state and the farmers have yielded results; In recent years, we have significantly increased the hazelnut production and, accordingly increased exports by approximately USD 115 million.
It is crucial, that the largest part of exports, almost 80%, goes to the EU countries.
"Our goal is to give more opportunities to our farmers to get a better quality crop and have an opportunity to sell products at a good price," said Mr. Otar Shamugia, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.
At the meeting, the hazelnut farmers emphasized, that significant progress has been made in the fight against the brown marmorated stink bug, which resulted in the increase of hazelnut production.

The meeting with farmers was attended by the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. George Khanishvili and the Heads of the relevant services within the system of the Ministry.

In 2019, the National Food Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture together with the Georgian Hazelnut Growers Association developed a "Hazelnut Crop Survival Program."

The state has handed over 2,500 special chemical treatment equipment to the Hazelnut Growers Association, which brings together about 25,000 hazelnut farmers and owns up to 31,000 hectares, furthermore, the National Food Agency has hired more than 100 agronomist-consultants for raising awareness among farmers.
Since 2019, complex activities have been actively launched, including consulting work, creation of mechanisms for access to technical and financial resources.
The ‘’Hazelnut Crop Survival Program’’ is a successful example of a joint effort made by the state and the private sector, which helped to protect crops from damage, improve quality, and increase local farmers' incomes.