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

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Giorgi Khanishvili met with the farmers in Samegrelo region

This year, maize and hazelnut harvest is much better in western Georgia. However, those farmers, who have taken measures against fungal and bacterial diseases and implemented activities against the Asian stink bug have got a good harvest.
The Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Giorgi Khanishvili got familiar with the current situation and activities taken against the Asian stink bug in west part of Georgia.
The Deputy Minister together with the head of the National Food Agency, Zurab Chekurashvili, Plant Protection Specialists and Coordination Staff members visited hazelnut plantations and cornfields in Abasha municipality and met with the local farmers.
Pest control activities and precautions to prevent pest infestations are carried out by the National Food Agency through using the specialized equipment to process areas with cold spraying in Anjeli array. 
The damage caused by the Asian stink bug is minimal in the current year, accordingly, in comparison with last year we expect a better harvest was noted by farmers. According to Giorgi Khanishvili, the measures taken against the invasive pest by Georgian Government are in progress and the result is visible.
"These are areas where the invasive pest was mostly spread. As a result of the measures taken by the state, the spread of the brown marmorated stink bug is significantly reduced, moreover, in parallel with Asian stink bug the favorable results were achieved in connection with other plant diseases. Therefore, as a result of farmers' involvement and timely taken agricultural measures, this year we expect a high quality harvest -"said Giorgi Khanishvili.
The Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, attended the hazelnut delivery process in the hazelnut drying and warehouse factory in the village Natsatushi, Zugdidi municipality.
The hazelnut picking is already underway in Samegrelo region. The meeting with farmers organized by the Georgian Hazelnut Growers Association (GHGA) was attended by Lasha Gogia, Mayor of Zugdidi. The participants noted, that due to the efforts made by the Georgian Government, the crop damage caused by the brown marmorated stink bug is rather less this year.
Today, pest control measures implemented by state cover 523 villages, 27 municipalities. Approximately 420 thousand hectares are processed by thermal fogging, 44 thousand hectares -by cold spraying, 22 thousand hectares by tractor aggregate. In order to avoid the spread of pests to agricultural crops, trap and kill stations are installed in forests and buffer zones.