Tirifoni Gardens: Without State Programs, The Agriculture Sector Cannot Attract Major Investments

“The state-guaranteed safety of property and investments is a necessary component to form small business”, Tirifoni Gardens founder Zurab Gojiashvili told the TV program Business Partner. 

The agriculture sector, which comprises high risks, cannot attract major investments without state programs, he said. 

“I bought lands in the Shida Kartli region long ago, but I decided to arrange apple gardens in 2014 after the authorities launched agriculture sector support programs”, Gojiashvili noted. 

“I decided to arrange gardens in 2014 after the Government promised financial and organizational support for my perennial agricultural plants at the beginning of 2014. We decided to arrange very intensive gardens and started with six hectares. Without state support, I would not make any effort. It is unimaginable to implement long-term investments without state support, even more so in a field of major investments such as perennial gardening and planting, and in risky zone as the villages near the occupied regions. Support was proposed  with three programs: a subsidized agro loan, the cheap agro loan “Plant the Future”, and a machinery co-financing program. All these components have mostly helped”, Gojiashvili said. 

Tirifoni Gardens founder says that the state-guaranteed safety of property and investments is a key precondition for starting businesses, and the current situation allows for such opportunities. 

“The fundamental aspect is that they must guarantee the safety of our property, and invested resources so the authorities can provide these guarantees. This is a necessary component for such family businesses, as is any form of small business. The economy cannot be developed without small and medium businesses”, Zurab Gojiashvili noted. 

As for the direction that the government should look towards involving as many in the agriculture sector as possible, Gojiashvili explained that food safety issues should, first of all, be ensured. “As soon as our citizens learn that this or that specific food product is safe and useful, much better conditions will result. Surprisingly, Georgia even imports apples. In 2016, the country imported 12,000 tons of apples. It is necessary to arrange refrigerator complexes so that the country has a sufficient apple harvest”, Gojiashvili noted.