Georgia fosters hazelnut production
Tuesday, July 21
The programme was initiated by the Georgian Government and implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture through the Agriculture Cooperatives Development Agency through European Union (EU) budget support.
Meanwhile, last year the export volume of nuts exceeded the export volume of wine for the first time, meaning nuts became Georgia’s main agricultural export product, according to data from Georgia’s Agricultural Ministry.
Georgia’s Minister of Agriculture Otar Danelia believed hazelnuts had created a new perspective for Georgia’s agriculture sector.
Within the framework of the project, the Georgia's Agriculture Ministry has begun constructing the facilities for a hazelnut-in-shell drier and storage business in the village of Darcheli, in Zugdidi Municipality. Upon completion, the business will have the capacity to dry over 24 tonnes and store over 500 tonnes of hazelnuts.
Due to be completed by the end of August 2015, Darcheli’s hazelnut industry will then be handed over to a 500-member strong hazelnut cooperative.
As the Georgia’s Agriculture Ministry ensured the implementation of international food security standards, the Darcheli hazelnut cooperative would be obliged to implement Good Agricultural Practices (Global GAP) by September 2018, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) by June 2019.
Nut producing has been supported by the Government, especially with VAT free taxation. This has allowed the price of Georgian nuts in the global market to become more competitive.
The cost of nuts is increasing worldwide because of higher demand. In recent years the average price per kilogram of shelled nuts was four GEL while in 2014 this price had increased to eight-nine GEL as a result of international market trends. Last year Turkey, the world leading nut exporter, lost half of its harvest due to freezing weather so the global price of nuts increased and turned into a beneficial situation for Georgian entrepreneurs.
(Agenda.ge)