BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 13
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Farmers in Georgia's Kakheti region expect pistachio harvest in 2022 to reach about 5 tons, Trend reports with reference to the Georgian Rural Development Agency.
According to the agency, in 2016, the Taribana company, with the financial support of the state within the framework of the "Plant the Future" program, laid a pistachio plantation on 47 hectares in Dedoplistskaro city. The company invested 700,000 lari ($225,536) in the new business, of which 360,000 lari ($115,990) is a preferential agricultural loan.
All year round, the farm employs five local residents, while during the harvesting season their number increases to 15.
"It is important for us to maintain primary production. In parallel with supporting traditional crops, we are promoting the cultivation of new and foreign varieties for Georgia, which have a high export potential and can take a competitive position both in the international and local markets in terms of import substitution." said the director of the Rural Development Agency Ilia Tamarashvili.
Within the framework of the "Plant the Future" program, up to 300 hectares of pistachio orchards have been planted in Georgia. The investment amount is 3.7 million lari ($1.1 million), co-financing of the Rural Development Agency is more than 1.3 million lari ($418,853), and preferential agricultural lending exceeds 2.9 million lari ($934,364).
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