1 500 tonnes of non-standard mandarins from Georgian farmers have been accepted by Kobuleti cannery

As of December 15, the Kobuleti cannery (GIAM Group) received and processed 1 500 tonnes of non-standard mandarins from Georgian farmers, EastFruit reports.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Adjara (Georgia), the plant is actively accepting non-standard mandarins. The management of the enterprise confirmed that it is ready to accept an unlimited volume of mandarins from farmers this year.

Minister of Agriculture of Adjara Zaza Shavadze got acquainted with the current work at the plant today.

The Kobuleti cannery is the only enterprise participating in the program of subsidizing the purchase of non-standard mandarins this year, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture of Adjara. Within the framework of the program, the plant pays farmers a fixed price of 0.20 GEL ($0.07) per 1 kg of non-standard mandarins. Of this amount, 0.15 GEL ($0.06) is then reimbursed to the plant from the budget of the Adjara Autonomous Republic. In particular, the plant produces mandarin concentrate from the purchased raw materials, most of which is exported.

Read also: 2022 mandarin season in Georgia: assessments at the beginning of the season

The plant purchased over 9 000 tonnes of non-standard mandarins from farmers under the program last season.

According to the ministry, as of December 15, 6 500 tonnes of standard mandarins were exported. More than 20 enterprises are engaged in the reception and preparation of export mandarins. To facilitate the collection and sale of citrus fruits in Adjara, there is a citrus coordinating headquarters. It will work until February 1, 2023.

The harvesting of mandarins in Adjara is almost completed. It is expected that the data on the harvest will be published by the ministry by the end of January 2023. According to the official forecast announced on the eve of the season, the citrus harvest in the region will be up to 45 000 tonnes (of which more than 90% are mandarins).