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

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Otar Shamugia: "Up to 80 combines owned by the state company are involved in the wheat harvesting process"

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Mr. Otar Shamugia accompanied by the First Deputy Chairman of the Agrarian Affairs Committee Mr. Gela Samkharauli, State Representative of Kakheti region Mr. Irakli Shioshvili and Dedoplistskaro Municipality Mayor Mr. Nikoloz Janiashvili got familiar with the wheat and barley harvesting process in Dedoplistskaro Municipality. 


"The wheat and barley harvesting process and handling activities are actively underway in the Kakheti region and will come to an end soon, later, harvesters will move to Shida Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions. About 80 combines owned by the state company and equipment of the private sector are involved in wheat harvesting in eastern Georgia,  Kakheti region.

I would like to note, that with our support, and state co-financing program, over 30 new combines had been purchased by the private sector, which is also involved in the harvesting process, although this is not a sufficient number. We will continue co-financing and increasing the number of agricultural machinery throughout the country in the coming years, which will allow farmers to harvest wheat crops during the harvest period without interruption"- said the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.

Mr. Shamugia also spoke about the patterns of crop yield growth and noted, that wheat production had increased by about 33 per cent last year compared to 2020 and that the harvest is abundant this year as well.

We have made a decision, and restricted wheat and barley export from Georgia to provide maximum support for the sale of local products and supply local markets with locally produced goods in the country, also, I would like to point out, that complex measures should be implemented to increase the wheat yield in Georgia, therefore, we are jointly working with our partners. During our visit to the US,  we held important meetings, where we discussed the aforementioned issue, specifically, to get support in seed production, also to adopt new technologies, provide modern equipment, and increase our self-sufficiency to be less dependent on imports"- Mr. Shamugia stated.

The harvest of grain crops is running smoothly. 78 combine harvesters of "Agricultural Logistics and Services Company" LTD have been mobilized across the country.

32 harvesters purchased with the co-financing are involved in the harvesting process within the framework of the state program of the Rural Development Agency "Co-financing of harvesting agricultural machinery". The co-financing of the agency for purchasing combines exceeds GEL 3 million.