That tiny Georgia is a heavyweight when it comes to hazelnut cultivation and exports, and is making serious strides in almonds, walnuts, and blueberries, which were thoroughly covered in our special feature back in June. To support this rapidly advancing fresh produce sector in this fertile Caucasus country, a new consultancy firm has just launched. The company aims to provide expert guidance across the entire value chain—from Georgian growers to international suppliers of agricultural inputs, and from investors to importers and exporters, both local and abroad.
Heading up Agronext Consulting is Aleksandre Gambashidze, a young agronomist with several years of experience advising growers as part of the Georgian Farmers' Association (GFA). Despite his already packed schedule, Aleksandre is also steadily working toward a PhD in Agricultural Technologies.
© Agronext Consulting
Cutting through red tape
"We offer a wide range of tailored services to anyone looking to start or improve a crop, or get into import or export," Aleksandre explains. "We help small-scale Georgian farmers navigate the maze of paperwork and bureaucracy—whether it's applying for government grants (as the Georgian government sees great potential in agriculture), securing certifications, or bringing their products to market, even internationally."
Connecting Georgia to the world—and vice versa
Agronext's services even extend to identifying logistics partners and market opportunities in the EU and beyond. Conversely, Aleksandre is well-positioned to connect Polish and Italian importers with Georgian suppliers of hazelnuts, blueberries, and—of course—the country's world-famous wine.
"But before you can harvest fruit and vegetables, you have to grow them. And that takes agricultural inputs—fertilizers, crop protection products, and increasingly, smart technologies that boost productivity in a sustainable way. Since this is the focus of my PhD research, I'm in a great position to link Georgian growers with international suppliers of horticultural tools and solutions."
Exotic fruit from Spain
"And why not give the import of exotic fruits a push too?" Aleksandre adds. "You occasionally see an avocado here in Georgia, and I believe that consumption of fruits like mangoes and dragonfruit is only going to rise in the coming years. We can also support those import flows, whether it's tropical produce shipped from overseas or fruit grown closer to home in southern Spain."
Agrotours: business meets beauty
Rounding out the company's offerings is a service that blends business with pleasure: tailor-made agrotours through Georgia's stunning landscapes. "At the request of interested investors or buyers of fresh produce and other agricultural products, we organize custom tours that include visits to farms, packing facilities, and other relevant organizations," Aleksandre concludes.
For more in-depth insights into Georgia's fresh produce cultivation and export sector, see our June special report.
For more information:
Aleksandre Gambishidze
Agronext Consulting
Tel: +995 598 74 77 70
[email protected]
