David Songulashvili: “The new office of the National Food Agency will enable staff to carry out state control more effectively and deliver services to the public in a timely and efficient manner.”

As part of his working visit to the Kvemo Kartli region, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr David Songulashvili, opened a new regional office of the National Food Agency in the Marneuli Municipality.

The Minister inspected the building, which has been equipped in accordance with modern standards, and got familiar with ongoing work in food safety, veterinary, and phytosanitary control. He also met with agency staff and emphasised the importance of strengthening regional services.

“The National Food Agency is one of the most important components embracing food safety and animal health, as well as plant protection. In Kvemo Kartli, where the agricultural sector is highly developed, it is essential to ensure that farmers and agribusiness operators have access to a regional system supported by modern infrastructure and sufficient resources.

The new office will enable agency employees to carry out state control even more effectively and provide the population with timely and high-quality services that are essential for the development of the agricultural sector and the assurance of high food safety standards,” said Mr David Songulashvili.

The National Food Agency carries out activities in food safety, veterinary services, and plant protection in the Marneuli Municipality. In the region, daily monitoring is conducted of agricultural markets, schools and kindergartens, public catering establishments, slaughterhouses, and milk processing enterprises. Veterinary procedures are also carried out, including preventive animal vaccinations, identification and registration, measures against plant pests, and locust control.

The State Representative in the Kvemo Kartli region, Mr Ilia Jalaghania, Member of Parliament for Marneuli Municipality, Mr Zaur Dargali, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr Lasha Avaliani, Head of the National Food Agency, Mr Giorgi Iakobashvili, and representatives of local self-government attended the meeting.