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Otar Shamugia meets with the representatives of hazelnut storage and processing enterprises in Zugdidi city.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. Otar Shamugia, met with the representatives of hazelnut storage and processing enterprises operating in the Samegrelo region.
As mentioned, within the framework of the "Co-financing for Processing and Storage Enterprises Project", the creation of 23 hazelnut storage and processing enterprises was co-financed with GEL 10.2 million, including twelve new enterprises created in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, with the co-financing amounting to GEL 5.6 million.
"With the state support, new hazelnut orchards are planted, storage and processing infrastructure is being created, and support is available for farmers in adopting international standards, which is a prerequisite for increasing exports and expanding export markets," Mr. Otar Shamugia stated.
During the meeting, Mr. Giorgi Guguchia, the state representative, emphasized the importance of sectoral knowledge, pointing out that the production and better quality of hazelnuts—a prerequisite for competitiveness are closely correlated with the 600 training conducted with state support.
The parties also underlined the significance of financial support from the state.Â
Within the "Preferential Agrocredit" project, loans exceeding GEL 63 million have been issued throughout Georgia for storing and processing hazelnuts. The co-financing of the Rural Development Agency exceeds GEL 18 million, including GEL 39 million worth of loans issued in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region for storing and processing hazelnuts, with the financing of the Rural Development Agency exceeding GEL 11.7 million.
‘’NUTSGE ‘’LLC, a hazelnut processing and exporting company, hosted the entrepreneurs, the representatives of the relevant services of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, and the Director of the Rural Development Agency, Mr. Davit Tsitlidze.