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

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Otar Shamugia: "This year, the income of hazelnut farmers will exceed GEL 250 million".

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. Otar Shamugia, visited the hazelnut orchard of "Geonat" LTD in the Senaki municipality, where he met with the large hazelnut producers.

"This year, we expect more harvest than last year. As for the price, medium- and high-quality hazelnuts are around 30–40% more expensive this year than in the same period of the previous year, which indicates that farmers income from the sale of hazelnuts will increase significantly and exceed GEL 250 million ", said Mr. Otar Shamugia.
Horticultural development is one of the top directions in the agricultural sector in Georgia. Therefore, the state runs numerous initiatives to support farmers in the mentioned area. The assistance covers all links in the hazelnut value chain. Moreover, the state support program "Plant the Future" promotes the primary production of hazelnut crops, including financing the planting of hazelnut orchards on 1.180 ha throughout Georgia, among them, financing of hazelnut orchards on 604 ha in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region. 

The 927 loans worth GEL 50 million were issued by banks across Georgia, with the co-financing of the Rural Development Agency exceeding GEL 13.9 million to increase access to preferential financial resources and plant and maintain hazelnut orchards;174 loans worth GEL 12.8 million were issued in the Samegrelo region, with the co-financing of the Rural Development Agency exceeding GEL 3.7 million.

The director of "Geonats" LTD, Davit Khurodze, claims that his company benefitted from several state initiatives, including Preferential Agrocredit.

"Last year, the upper limit -the specified maximum amount of annual expenses increased, enabling us to benefit from the so-called state subsidy on loan interest. It is worth mentioning that the Georgian amelioration service is working very well, and all our channels are clean", said Giorgi Khurodze at the meeting with the Minister.

The Majoritarian MP Mr. Giorgi Khakhubia, State Representative in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Region, Mr. Giorgi Guguchia, and Director of Rural Development Agency, Mr. Davit Tsitlidze accompanied the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.