Agricultural activities successful in Georgia

Most of the respondents in a poll conducted by IRI said that improvements in the agricultural sector have been one of the main achievements of the current Georgian government. In particular the distribution of agricultural cards to the rural population was cited as a major improvement. More than 710,000 rural residents received government assistance this past spring and approximately 200,000 hectares of land were cultivated. Farmers received fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural tools. The farmers could buy agricultural equipment with the cards. Special services for agricultural machinery and over 800 shops were involved in the project. Unfortunately, the government did not publicize the successful agricultural moves; instead, law enforcement bodies revealed certain violations that occurred-for example, the purchase of very expensive tractors.