The blueberry production to reach 25mn kg by 2027 from 4mn kg currently, - according to the report on Blueberry Business in Georgia published by Galt&Taggart.
Georgia started ramping up blueberry production from 2019, driven by government and donor support. The total area of blueberry-cultivated land in Georgia has exceeded 2,000 ha by end-2022. As a result, Blueberry production increased 8.5x over 2019-23, from 0.5mn kg in 2019 to an estimated 4.0mn kg in 2023.
According to the research, average investment per ha of orchard was GEL 30.9k over 2017-22, while in 2022 average investment cost increased to GEL 33.3k per ha, according to Agency of Rural Development.
Georgia is relatively insignificant on the global scale in terms of production as its share is a mere 0.1%. Despite that, Georgia stands ahead of many countries in terms of blueberry yield per hectare at 14.5ton/ha. With this figure, Georgia ranks 7th in the world.
Georgian wholesale prices of blueberries started at 20 GEL/kg in early Jun-23 and declined to 5.5 GEL/kg by end-July 2023. Generally, the price seasonality is explained by harvest periods and global trends.
The wholesale prices of blueberry were on average 44.6% lower in 2023 compared to 2021 in GEL terms and 33.1% lower in US$ terms, partly
reflecting GEL appreciation.
Blueberry exports doubled in 2023, reaching 3.0mn kg, valued at US$ 18.5mn. In 2023, the average export price of Georgian blueberries stood at US$ 6.1 /kg.
The main export destination is Russia, accounting for over 90% of total exports. However, the country is actively exploring alternative markets, with shipments to Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland in June 2023. These markets look promising, particularly during the June-July period when Georgia's exports are most active.
