More than 73 000 tonnes of non-standard apples from the 2022 harvest were sold by Georgian farmers as part of the state program to promote the sale of non-standard apples.
According to the Georgian Rural Development Agency (RDA) implementing the state program, 15 processing enterprises in the regions of Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, and Racha-Lechkhumi received non-standard apples.
The terms of the state program to promote the sale of non-standard apples envisage that enterprises buying non-standard apples at a price of at least 0.24 GEL/kg ($0.09) receive a state subsidy of 0.1 GEL/kg ($0.04), EastFruit reports.
As a result, farmers’ income from the sale of non-standard apples this season totaled more than 17.7 million GEL ($6.60 million), the total amount of the state subsidy being about 10 million GEL ($3.73 million), the RDA noted.
The state program to promote the sale of non-standard apples has been implemented in Georgia for several years. In 2022, it was operating from September to December. To ensure the delivery and sales of non-standard apples during the specified period, a coordinating headquarters acted by the decision of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.
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According to preliminary estimates, the harvest of apples in Georgia amounted to about 130 000 tonnes in 2022, which is about 80% more than the previous season. Prices for apples in Georgian agricultural markets currently range from 0.5 GEL ($0.19) to 3 GEL ($1.12) per 1 kg, depending on the variety and caliber.
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