State-Supported Enterprise in Guria Produces 20 Varieties of Tea

Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. David Songulashvili, visited the “Greengold” tea processing enterprise in Ozurgeti, Guria region. The facility is equipped in line with modern standards. The Minister got familiar with the production process, met with farmers involved in tea cultivation, and was briefed on the challenges facing the sector.

 

Georgia’s climatic and soil conditions provide favorable opportunities for the cultivation of subtropical crops, including tea. Demand for locally produced, ecologically clean tea products is steadily increasing both domestically and internationally. The State Program for the Rehabilitation of Tea Plantations aims to maximize the potential of existing tea plantations in Georgia and promote the development of tea production.

LLC “Greengold” is a beneficiary of the Rural Development Agency. During the establishment and expansion phases of the enterprise, the company received grant co-financing through the “Co-financing Program for Processing and Storage Enterprises” and has repeatedly benefited from the “Preferential Agrocredit” project. Under the state program for the rehabilitation of tea plantations, the company also received state co-financing for the rehabilitation of 28 hectares of tea plantations.

 

The tea processing enterprise handles up to 65 tonnes of tea leaves per season, with products sold on both local and international markets. The facility employs 15 persons and operates in compliance with international food safety standards. The company holds an “Organic” certification and produces around 20 varieties of tea, differing in quality and packaging.

 

It is noteworthy that within the framework of the Rural Development Agency’s “Co-financing Program for Processing and Storage Enterprises”, over 287 enterprises have been co-financed nationwide, with a total investment exceeding GEL 132 million. In the Guria region, 13 enterprises have been established under the program, with total co-financing of GEL  5.7 million.

 

Minister Songulashvili was accompanied by Deputy Minister, Mr. Kakha Kakabadze, State Representative in Guria, Mr. Giorgi Gurjumelidze, Deputy Head of the National Food Agency, Mr. Giorgi Iakobashvili, Acting Director of Rural Development, Mr. Giorgi Avaliani, and representatives of local self-governments.