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

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Otar Shamugia: " The Government of Georgia decided to subsidize non-standard apples."

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr.  Otar Shamugia, opened a coordination center promoting the sale of non-standard apples in Gori municipality. 

The Minister headed a working meeting with the participation of Mr. Simon Guledani, the Deputy state representative of the Shida Kartli region, Mr. Vladimir Khinchegashvili, the Mayor of Gori Municipality, representatives of apple processing companies, and local youth at the coordination center. The coordination center employs over 40 local young residents.

"We have been assisting farmers in different ways for many years, including harvesting apples, which has already begun. We will subsidize apples that cannot be sold on the market this year, as we did last year, following the government's decision.

Last year, around 70 thousand non-standard apples were processed within the scope of this program, and farmers received an income of approximately GEL 20 million as a result. It is essential that they have additional income from non-standard apples", said Mr. Otar Shamugia.

According to Mr. Simon Guledani, the deputy state representative of Shida Kartli region, the coordination group in Gori municipality has already started working to ensure the organized delivery of non-standard apples in the coming months, and the mentioned program will make it easier for farmers to sell their products.


Within the state program, the Rural Development Agency will subsidize 10 tetri per kg of non-standard apples. The state will subsidize the fruit processing companies that buy kg of non-standard apples from farmers for at least 24 tetri by December 15, 2023.
The state program will engage around twenty companies across Georgia. The apple crop is projected to reach 120 thousand tonnes this year. As part of the state program, it is planned to process 50 thousand tonnes of non-standard apples.