1.5 Million Investment in Tkibuli - Okriba Starts Tea Production

With the raw materials obtained from tea plantations which are cultivated in Tkibuli Municipality, the village Samtredia on 55 hectares, Okriba started producing high-quality tea in the nearby tea processing plant this year. 

According to one of the shareholders of Okriba, 1.5 million GEL was invested in cultivation, rehabilitation of tea plantations, and the construction of the factory. 

"We started cultivating tea plantation and tea processing plant project in 2018. Part of the plantations are newly cultivated, also we renewed old plantations and in total, their volume is 55 ha. In addition, we built the factory in the village of Samtredia, which was put into operation this year and we started tea production. According to the data, the total investment price is 1,5 million GEL, of which 600,000 Lari is a grant from the Ministry of Agriculture within the framework of the program "Georgian Tea"", noted representative of Okriba. 

According to Zurab Karkashadze, approximately 100 locals are employed every year and since the factory is fulfilled with modern equipment, it can employ 15 people. 

The main part of their products are sold in the export markets, but Zurab Karkashadze stated, that they think of entering the local market.

"We produce high-quality tea, therefore, we are targeting at the high segment. For now, the focus is on export markets, but this does not exclude the entry into the Georgian market."

They hold negotiations with partner companies in the U.S and China, where the demand for tea is high. The first batch is planned to be exported in October.