Wheat harvest crisis

Georgia is highly dependant on the import of wheat and flower as 90% of consumable products are imported. Up to 700 thousand tonnes of wheat and flower are imported into the country, whereas the production of local wheat is decreasing. As economic analyst Paata Koguashvili told the newspaper Rezonansi, this year's wheat yield was 45 000 tonnes, while last year Georgia's yield was 80 000 tonnes.

A low quality of chemicals, lack of appropriate machinery and weather conditions created serious problems for this segment of Georgian agriculture. There are also certain discrepancies in the system of providing seeds for the farmers, who think that the price of the seeds is very expensive. As a result this branch of agriculture is in crisis and will worsen if the state does not alter its approach.

Meanwhile in neighbouring Armenia the situation is improving with the systems of Armenian government. The Armenian Ministry of agriculture has taken several steps to facilitate the country's wheat production: different types of seeds from Russia have been introduced. PM Tigran Sarkisian stated the problems of providing seeds for the farmers were overcome thanks to successful cooperation between the government and the private sector. Armenia's annual wheat production target is up to 360 000 tonnes.