Davit Songulashvili Meets Beekeepers in Guria and Discusses the Current Situation in the Sector

According to the Minister, Georgia has the potential to become a supplier of high-quality honey to global markets. For this reason, several state programmes are already in place to support honey production. It is also important that the State Agricultural Laboratory has introduced methodology for testing various parameters of honey.

Georgian entrepreneurs, with government support, are participating in the world’s most prestigious international agricultural exhibitions, which helps promote Georgian honey abroad. With the strengthening of every link in the value chain, all necessary conditions have now been created in the country to increase honey production.

Davit Songulashvili also visited the apiary of farmer Tamaz Ghlonti in the village of Akati, where he observed ongoing operations.

Farmer Tamaz Ghlonti is a beneficiary of the Rural Development Agency and has repeatedly benefited from the Preferential Agro-Credit Programme to set up his beekeeping farm and small honey-processing facility.

The farmer introduced the Minister to his own invention — a “thermo hive”, the production technology of which is patented and registered with the National Intellectual Property Center “Sakpatenti”.

Across Georgia, since 2013, more than 70 million GEL in agro-loans have been issued for the development of honey production under the Preferential Agro-Credit Programme, with the Rural Development Agency providing co-financing exceeding 17 million GEL.
In the Guria region alone, over 1.7 million GEL in agro-loans have been issued, with more than 400,000 GEL in co-financing provided by the Agency.

The Minister was accompanied by Deputy Minister Kakha Kakabadze, State Representative of Guria Giorgi Gurjumelidze, Deputy Head of the National Food Agency Giorgi Iakobashvili, Acting Director of the Rural Development Agency Giorgi Avaliani, and representatives of local self-government.