In 2024, Georgia will continue its hazelnut production development program, allocating 20 million lari ($7.3 million) to subsidize the cost of agrochemicals and pesticides necessary for cultivation. This was announced by Giorgi Kapanadze, Deputy Head of the Financial Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, during a parliamentary committee meeting on agrarian issues.
The program's budget aims to improve crop yields, which in turn could boost export rates. The meeting also reviewed last year's program outcomes, where Giorgi Kakauidze, the First Deputy Minister of Finance, noted improvements despite ongoing export challenges.
While such programs significantly support nut exports, he acknowledged that Georgia's influence on global prices is limited due to its small market share. The export prices, determined by global markets, remained low last year and are continuing this trend, which affects export volumes.
According to the Rural Development Agency, by 2023, over $7.5 million had been used under the program. Farmers with hazelnut orchards up to 3 hectares received assistance. Despite these efforts, the nut exports fell last year, with 11,100 tons exported from January to September 2023, totalling $52.3 million, a decrease of $7.6 million from 2022.
Source: bizzone.info