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Georgia's government offers support to agricultural industry

Business Materials 10 June 2020 20:33 (UTC +04:00)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 10

By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:

Georgia's agriculture is an industry that needs financial support, and it is the second field after tourism to receive assistance from the government, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said, Trend reports citing Georgian media.

Gahkaria met with farmers of the Shida Kartli region of Georgia, talked about the challenges the agriculture sector faces and presented the government's plans to help the sector.

"The budget for assisting agriculture is about 300 million lari [$98.2 million]. Today, this is the minimum we can offer, and it should give us all the opportunity to keep working and prepare for better times to come", Gakharia said.

According to the government's anti-crisis plan for the agriculture sector of Georgia, 42,000 farmers will be exempt from paying irrigation taxes in 2020. Farmers that want to purchase special agricultural equipment or build greenhouses or irrigation systems can apply to receive up to 50 percent financing from the state.

In addition, all farmers will receive 150 liters of diesel fuel per hectare in 2020 at a cost of 1 lari (33 cents) less compared to the market price. As of May 22, over 5,000 farmers have already benefited from the government’s agro-diesel program.

Farmers who have land plots between 0.25 hectares to 10 hectares will receive 200 lari ($65.47) for each hectare.

"Food security is critically important for Georgia and the agricultural production process can not be stopped for a single second, farmers must continue working and there must not be uncultivated land left," the prime minister said.

According to him, agriculture has the potential in Georgia not only to feed the country but also to develop exports.

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