Agriculture Minister: "Georgia will not face a wheat shortage"
Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili said that the government has the responsibility of ensuring Georgia's wheat supply. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture.
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Georgia will not face a shortage of wheat despite the fact that Russia has halted wheat exports to the country, claims Georgian Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili.
We have the responsibility of ensuring Georgia's wheat supply... There are no questions regarding wheat supplies because the ministry is monitoring and taking all the necessary measures to fill the critically needed minimum supply in the country", Davitashvili said.
The Russian Agriculture Ministry announced on April 26 that it was suspending its export of wheat, corn, rye, barley and meslin until July 1, disregarding warnings from international organisations who have asked countries not to disrupt global food supply chains during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Executive Director of the Georgian Flour Producers Association Levan Silagava also stated that a wheat shortage is not expected in Georgia despite Russia’s ban on wheat exports.
The wheat shipment has not stopped. Companies that have taken the relevant documents continue to export wheat. Georgian companies have contracts. We know Russia is a bit unpredictable, but even today we have contacted our partners in Russia and everyone confirmed to us that the contracts will definitely be fulfilled. Shortages are not expected, we always have two months' supply", Silagava said.
Silagava said that according to the Agriculture Minister Georgia is working with the Americans to import 50,000 tonnes of wheat "which will be imported in about a month and a half".
To note, the production of wheat, barley, potatoes, stone fruits and citrus decreased in Georgia in 2019, while the production of maize, nuts and subtropical fruits increased in the country, show the preliminary data of 2019 published by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).
In 2019 Georgia produced:
- 102,500 tonnes of wheat (-4.3% year-on-year decrease)
- 54,400 tonnes of barley (-5.7%)
- 205,900 tonnes of maize (+6%)
- 208,600 tonnes of potatoes (-12.2%)
Georgia’s Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili has stated that products that are brought from Marneuli and Bolnisi quarantine zones in the country's east are ‘absolutely safe and harmless’ in terms of spread of the new coronavirus – COVID-19.
Georgia has enough supplies of meat and fish and there are no difficulties in importing cargo and replenishing supplies, announces Georgian Ministry of Agriculture Levan Davitashvili.
Georgia's domestic exports (exports without re-exports) amounted to $526.3 million in January-February 2020, which is 4.5 per cent more compared to the same period of last year, show the preliminary data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).
The production of wheat, barley, potatoes, stone fruits and citrus decreased in Georgia in 2019, while the production of maize, nuts and subtropical fruits increased in the country, show the preliminary data of 2019 published by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food for Progress programme, is donating an additional 27,000 tonnes of high-quality wheat to support Georgia during the coronavirus outbreak. By the end of this month, USDA will sign 18 small grant agreements, totalling $400,000, ‘to strengthen the dairy, beef, and farming sectors and improve food safety standards’.
Georgia exported locally produced goods worth $713 million in January-April 2020, announces the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat). The share of domestic exports (export of locally produced goods and services, including those of foreign origin that have been substantially changed through local processing) in total exports constituted 71.2 per cent.
Georgia exported locally produced goods worth $1.23 billion in January-May 2020, which is 16.2 percent lower year-on-year, announces the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).
The wheat harvest is entering its active phase in the Georgian region of Kakheti and this year’s forecast predicts 150,000 tonnes of wheat and 80,000 tonnes of barley will be harvested, announces the Georgian Ministry of Agriculture.
A state subsidy will increase from 10 to 15 GEL per 50 kilograms of wheat flour in Georgia in order to avoid an increase in bread prices during the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
Georgia’s Agriculture Ministry on Friday dismissed fears for wheat flour shortage in the country following comments on the expected halt of wheat processing facilities due to suspension of wheat imports.