100 Million GEL Investment in Imereti AgroZone Development Project

The Government of Georgia has responded to increasing demands from the EU for agricultural goods, launching the Imereti AgroZone Development project to promote the agricultural industry sector. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has underlined the importance of spurring the private sector to increase the production of high-quality produce to meet the increasing demand from the EU market.

“This is a very important initiative –100 million GEL will be invested to a private partnership (PPP) model to develop agricultural land in the Imereti region – hothouse farms will promote local farmers to produce the required volume of products to export standardized Georgian products to high-standard markets, such as the EU and others. This project aims for the construction of building hothouses, refrigerator and warehouse complexes”, the Georgian Prime Minister announced when elaborating on the project.

Facilitating the transport for the added agricultural output, two new logistical zones will be established near Kopitnari airport in Imereti, as well as in eastern Georgia, near Rustavi.

The PM continued by assuring that the  “combination of the Imereti AgroZone and logistics centers will stimulate local development. This project is to incentivize entrepreneurship and improve the local social picture. The project also calls for developing warehouses and cargo terminals at Kopitnari airport, and this is not only important for Kutaisi, but for the whole region of Imereti and Georgia.”

The development of farming technologies is of the utmost importance for Georgia, which generates more than 12% of its GDP from the agricultural sector. The Government has ran a large privatization strategy over the last few years, helping citizens to maintain and run their own agricultural businesses. Over 95% of Georgian field are cultivated by small-sized farms.

By Benjamin Music

Photo: Les Robes de l'Est