Georgian Potato Growers Lose Domestic Market to Imported Potato
Georgian potato growers cannot sell 700 tons of potato in the village of Alastani, Akhalkalaki Municipality. Approximately 180 families ask the Government to help them. The local population plans to throw down potato harvest in front of the Akhalkalaki City Hall.
Local residents assure that they cannot sell potatoes because thousands of tons of potatoes are imported from foreign countries.
As noted by Artur Iritsian, Akhalkalaki Mayor’s representative in the village of Alastani, today, customers are arriving at the village and buy potatoes at the lowest prices.
"At this stage, customers buy potato at GEL 0.30-0.35. Local farmers have no other option. They prefer to sell products at the lowest price instead of having potato spoilt. And local farmers cannot remunerate the costs. The potato will be spoilt in 20 days. I can say nothing. This problem was to be resolved earlier. Akhalkalaki Mayor does its best. He has sent a letter to the Agriculture Ministry.
Local residents earn living through potato production. Akhalkalaki Municipality unites 64 villages and the situation is the same everywhere”, the Akhalkalaki Mayor’s Representative in the village of Alastani said.
Meanwhile, Georgia records growing potato imports. Namely, the annual potato imports have risen by 46.1% to 17.980 tons. As a result, $3.5 million was taken out of Georgia.
According to official statistics by Geostat, the greater part of potato imports was carried out from Germany, Turkey and Netherlands.
The countries from where Georgia imports potato:
- Germany - $1 million; 1,193.8 tons.;
- Turkey - $883,400; 8,909.5 tons.;
- Netherlands - $565,000; 741 tons.;
- Azerbaijan - $394,400; 2,466.6 tons;
- Russia - $327,500; 2,576.9 tons;
- France – $122,600, 172.7 tons;
- Egypt - $114,800, 849 tons.