Georgian farmers cannot sell their apples and are being forced to throw them away, but imports continue, says Vakhtang Bezhitashvili, head of the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Exporters.
In the first quarter of 2023, Georgia imported 1,002 tons of apples worth $415,700, with the bulk coming from Turkey.
Bezhitashvili explains the situation by stating that Georgia lacks enough storage and refrigerated farms and the absence of new technologies for long-term storage of perishable products. This, in turn, leads to an increase in imports.
In this regard, he proposes to impose restrictions on the import of goods, thus protecting the interests of local farmers and the country's food security.
source: panorama.am