Photo source : www.newsgeorgia.ge
A total of $33.4 million worth of hazelnuts were exported by Georgia in August and September of this year.
Hazelnuts were harvested this year in great condition, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Approximately 65-70 thousand tons are expected to be collected, which could be exported for $150 million.
Throughout Europe, as well as to neighbouring countries, Georgian hazelnuts are sold.
The Ministry of Agriculture notes that since 2016, as a result of the spread of marble bugs and fungal diseases, the production of hazelnuts and their exports began to decline, and in 2018 they reached a minimum level of 17 thousand tons.
As a result of active and purposeful work on pest control, a high-quality and plentiful harvest was achieved in 2020 and 2021. European Union and US support contributed to this success in the harvest.
Hazelnut harvest began in August in Georgia. Early harvesting traditionally begins in western Georgia’s Samegrelo and Guria regions. Farmer from Kakheti and other regions that raise nuts later joined them.
Levan Davitashvili, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, said, “This year started off well, the harvest was bountiful, but the weather has worsened a little lately. However, we expect the 2021-2022 season to be better than last year. Hazelnuts are an important strategic crop in Georgia’s agriculture. The value of the exported hazelnuts exceeded $ 100 million last season, “
Davitashvili visited the Geo Nuts hazelnut processing plant in the Zugdidi municipality on the eve of his visit with Georgy Goguchia, the governor of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti. The nuts passing process was explained to them there.
About half of Samegrelo’s residents work in agriculture, primarily cultivating hazelnuts. It appears that their earnings from the sale of the harvest have increased recently, he said.
