Western Georgian farmers refrain from buying hybrid corn seeds

Authorities in western Georgia are experiencing serious problems as farmers refuse to buy hybrid corn seeds received from abroad. The seeds were widely boasted about by President Saakashvili personally and the price for 1 kg of hybrid corn seeds is GEL 10-12. The farmers however are not interested in purchasing. As it is known, corn flower is intensively used by the Georgian population as a food, very often instead of bread. Whereas they think that hybrid corn is only suitable for feeding cattle and poultry.

Independent agricultural analysts are stating that the government bought hybrid corn seeds in big quantities without carrying out preliminary consultations with experts in the field or scholars. Corn as an essential part of human nutrition is intensively used in Georgia as well as in Romania and Balkan countries.