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Otar Shamugia: "Last year, up to 90 thousand beneficiaries registered their hazelnut orchards -planted on more than 44,000 hectares of land area, in the hazelnut cadastre; Farmers received about GEL 21 million targeted assistance".
During the presentation of the report on the activities taken in 2023, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Otar Shamugia, emphasized the importance of promoting Georgian hazelnut production.
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"Hazelnuts are one of the top export products in Georgia. 70% of Georgian hazelnut is exported to the European Union. Moreover, hazelnuts are a significant source of income for tens of thousands of households. Therefore, we actively advocate for the hazelnut industry.
Every natural person who owns or utilizes an area of 0.2-3 hectares receives GEL500 per hectare to ensure the timely and proper implementation of agro-technical measures. We launched this program last year.Â
Within the program, up to 90 thousand beneficiaries registered their hazelnut orchards planted on more than 44,000 hectares of land area in the hazelnut cadastre program. Farmers received about GEL 21 million in targeted assistance. The hazelnut sector has huge potential in Georgia, and our objective is to exploit it as much as possible, which is directly related to the rise in the income of the people employed in the sector", said Otar Shamugia.
Mr. Shamugia emphasized that in the fall of 2023, the European Commission had positively assessed the state system for controlling aflatoxins in Georgian hazelnuts, thus facilitating export to the European market without additional procedures and delays.
"We have the potential to be among the top three exporters of hazelnuts, and we must continue active work in this direction," said Minister Shamugia.