BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 16
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Georgia imported an unusually large amount of tomatoes in August 2021, Trend reports referring to the Georgian National Statistical Office (Geostat).
Imports amounted to 570 tons, which is 13 times higher than the average import volume in August for 2014-2020 and 27 times more than the average for August for the last 3 years. About 96 percent of the imported tomatoes came from Turkey. The average import price was $320 per tonne (CIF). In 2020, Georgia had a record high tomato supply of 87,000 tonnes, driven by an increase in local production to 75,000 tonnes. As demand was weakened by the coronavirus pandemic, this increased supply resulted in the lowest prices in the observed 2016-2020 period.
Georgia imported $35 million worth of fresh or dried fruits, vegetables, and nuts in the first seven months of 2021.
As reported, this figure is 16 percent lower than in the same period in 2020, and 19 percent less than in 2019, and 29 percent lower than in 2018.
This year, Georgia spends even less on imports of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dried fruits than in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic began and the subsequent global economic downturn.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356