Baku, Azerbaijan, September 21
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
In the village of Akhali Khibula, Khobi municipality of Georgia, with the support of the state, a Nadi Group farm for growing snails was built within the framework of the United Agricultural Project, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
According to the Ministry, an investment of 1.41 million lari was made for the construction of the farm, of which 1.26 million lari was obtained through preferential agricultural loans.
Georgi Khanishvili, Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture, and Otar Shamugiya, Director of the Farm Development Agency, visited the snail farm and got acquainted with the production process.
According to the agency, the farm produces an average of about 50 tons of snails per year, while products are sold on export markets, mainly in Italy. It is planned to enter the local market. The company employs 10 local residents.
Merab Nadaria, a spokesman for the Nadi Group farm, said the first batch of snails will be exported to Italy in late November.
“We already have an Italian partner, the Shellfish Institute, with whom we have contracted. The export price, which we agreed with our partner, is 3 euros per kilogram,” says Nadaria.
(1 USD = 2.97 GEL on September 21)