Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Davit Songulashvili has met with apple producers and exporters to present a new ministerial initiative.
According to the Ministry’s press office, the Minister outlined plans to establish a dedicated sectoral council within the Ministry, tasked with identifying the challenges and needs, disseminating new developments, and providing targeted support. The council will convene monthly under the supervision of a Deputy Minister, with quarterly sessions chaired by the Minister himself.
Songulashvili underlined the strategic importance of the apple sector, describing it as a vital product for the domestic market with significant and growing export potential.
“Regular, systematic meetings with farmers are especially important so that we can properly identify every challenge that may exist across the various areas of the sector. These meetings will allow us to stay ahead of difficulties and respond to them appropriately,” the Minister said.
He added that working through the council format would substantially improve the Ministry’s ability to take farmers’ interests into account and design more effective development programmes across the various branches of Georgian agriculture.
The Ministry noted that apple production in Georgia has followed a steadily upward trajectory in recent years and remains one of the most important sectors of the country’s agricultural economy. Production is concentrated primarily in Shida Kartli, which leads the country, though Mtskheta-Mtianeti and Kakheti also account for a significant share.
“The diversification across regions indicates that apple production is gradually expanding and becoming less dependent on any single area. In export terms, apples represent a significant commodity. In 2025, export volumes reached approximately 20,600 tonnes, with an average price of around $0.68 per kilogram, resulting in a total annual export value of about USD 14 million. The principal export markets are Russia, Türkiye, Armenia and Kazakhstan,” the Ministry stated.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Ministers Lasha Dolidze and Lasha Avaliani, alongside senior officials and departmental representatives from the Ministry.
