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David Songhulashvili and Tornike Rizhvadze Get Familiar with the Citrus Season Progress in Adjara.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. David Songhulashvili, along with the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Mr. Tornike Rizhvadze, and the Minister of Agriculture of Adjara, Mr. Zaza Shavadze, visited Kobuleti Municipality to assess the progress of citrus harvesting and storage activities.
“The citrus storage process in Adjara is progressing smoothly and efficiently, as I observed firsthand during my visit. Currently, over 28,000 tonnes of citrus fruits have been successfully exported to various international markets.
The government of Adjara has implemented several programs to support farmers, encouraging both the production and processing of agricultural products. We visited a recently opened processing plant, whose operation is significant to the region. Our commitment to supporting farmers and entrepreneurs remains steadfast,” stated Mr. Songhulashvili.
This year, the Adjara government has increased the state subsidy for industrial processing of non-standard tangerines by 10 tetri compared to the previous year. Farmers now receive 40 tetri per kilogram, with 35 tetri subsidized by the government and 5 tetri contributed by processing plants.
During their visit, government officials toured the “Iberia Orbi LTD” citrus receiving and processing plant, which employs approximately 200 people. The facility processes up to 120 tonnes of citrus fruits daily, including sorting and paraffin treatment, adhering to European standards. The plant aims to handle and export up to 1,000 tonnes of standard citrus this year including delivering non-standard tangerines.
Moreover, the delegation inspected the non-standard citrus receiving and processing plant of the Georgian Industrial Asset Management Group LLC, which commenced operations on November 30.
The Citrus Coordination Headquarters has been established in Adjara and will operate until February 1 to ensure the efficient implementation of the citrus season.
Over 20 citrus receiving and sorting enterprises in the Adjara region are efficiently managing tangerines designated for export, while two processing facilities in the Kobuleti municipality are handling/receiving non-standard fruits. To date, Adjara has exported approximately
28,000 tonnes of tangerines, generating a value of USD 15.9 million. Additionally, 5,400 tonnes of non-standard fruits have been processed, supported by state subsidies totaling GEL 1.9 million.