No shortage in Foods and Basic Supplies, Minister of Agriculture Says
By Khatia Bzhalava
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Georgian Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture, Otar Shamugia announced after meeting the representatives of large trade chains and companies importing food and primary consumer products in Georgia that no shortage in stocks of supplies is observed in the country. According to the ministry, it is important that in parallel with maintaining a stable supply of products in the consumer market, companies act with social responsibility to avoid unreasonable rises in prices. The Minister said the sides involved in the meeting had agreed to work “in maximum coordination with importers and suppliers.”
Reuters reported on Wednesday that Ukraine had banned exports of rye, barley, buckwheat, millet, sugar, salt, and meat until the end of 2022 per a cabinet resolution. According to Iva Chkhonia, the Head of the Georgian Distributors Association, at this stage, the market situation is stable in Georgia, but in recent days, there have been delays in the supply of trade network due to ‘excessive purchases’ by the population which, according to him, artificially leads to shortages.
He stressed that the market in the country is in stable condition, urging the citizens “not to harm either yourself or other customers with excess purchases.” As he explained, failures related to certain brands are caused by the breakdown of the logistics chain, however ”if today a certain brand of oil, buckwheat or sugar is not on the counter, it does not mean that it will not be available in two or three days”.
According to the Ministry, relevant services are constantly monitoring the uninterrupted supply and replenishment of food in the country, as well as coordinated work with representatives of major retail chains and companies importing food and primary consumer products in Georgia.
