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Minister David Songulashvili Reviews Measures Against the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Adjara
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr David Songulashvili, accompanied by the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Mr Zurab Pataradze, and representatives of the local authorities, visited Kobuleti Municipality to inspect ongoing measures aiming to combat the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB).
Currently, 40 units of specialized equipment have been deployed in Kobuleti Municipality. Pest control operations are being carried out across 14 administrative units using both thermal fogging and cold spraying methods.
“Due to heavy rainfall, operations against the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug commenced later than scheduled. Nevertheless, large-scale measures will be implemented, significantly reducing the pest’s spread and addressing the challenges currently facing the agricultural sector. The campaign will be gradually expanded nationwide, supporting farmers in protecting their harvests and producing high-quality agricultural products,” stated Mr David Songulashvili.
The National Food Agency, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, is implementing pest control measures across all municipalities of the region. Thermal fogging operations commenced today, while cold spraying activities have been underway since May.
“As in previous years, the necessary equipment has already been mobilized as part of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug control campaign, allowing operations to begin promptly. We are launching the campaign in Kobuleti Municipality, which is an important step toward responding in a timely manner to the challenges facing our farmers and the agricultural sector. We are confident that coordinated efforts and timely preventive measures will enable us to curb the spread of the pest and safeguard agricultural crops,” stated Mr Zurab Pataradze.
The Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr Lasha Avaliani, and Head of the National Food Agency, Mr Giorgi Iakobashvili, accompanied the Minister.