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

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Otar Shamugia: "The market is diversified to the greatest degree possible and 70% of Georgian hazelnuts exports come to the EU market"

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. Otar Shamugia, spoke about the Georgian hazelnut sector in the program "Business Partner", noting that the hazelnut is an important crop culture and one of the top export products for the country. Thousands of farmers are employed in the hazelnut sector across the country, and the majority of them work in West Georgia.

"Last year, approximately USD 115 million worth of Georgian hazelnuts were exported from the country. It is important to mention that the market is diversified to the greatest degree possible and 70% of exports come to the EU market. This year, we have been monitoring the ongoing processes in the hazelnut sector.
We could not get the same quantity and quality of harvest as in the previous year, and our farmers could not take proper treatment of crops due to the climatic conditions, as well as other external factors that took place in the global market, which ultimately led to the reduced income of farmers.
We held meetings with the representatives of the hazelnut sector to reveal their needs and challenges, as a result, we launched a new state program that will be tailored to the specific needs of farmers. The first stage of the project is the cadaster program, which aims to determine the areas, and the size of hazelnut plantations, also breeds, and the needs facing the farmers. 

We have created a special headquarter, which is actively operating. To date, 20,000 ha of hazelnut orchards have already been registered by our agency staff.
We visit each village, meet residents and provide services to all farmers who work in this field. When we complete the registration process in February 2023, we will provide financing of 500 GEL for a 1 ha of agricultural land area, which will be used solely for the purchase of hazelnut maintenance products. Farmers will receive points on their cards, which they can use to purchase crop treatment and maintenance products and tools in the specialized stores," Mr. Otar Shamugia explained.