The head of the Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, Vakhtang Bezhitashvili, says Georgia remains the most import-dependent country in the region when it comes to agricultural products. Speaking on TV-program Analytis, he reviewed recent agricultural studies and said that official statistics often fail to reflect real productivity levels.
According to Bezhitashvili, Georgia struggles to meet its own domestic demand even as neighboring countries significantly increase production. “We are the most import-dependent country in the region. We lag behind both Armenia and Azerbaijan in fruit and vegetable production. Imports occur when production is insufficient. How is it normal that Georgia imports apples from Azerbaijan or carrots and cabbage from Iran? This is not a healthy situation,” he said.
He pointed to major productivity gaps highlighted in Galt & Taggart’s agricultural study: Georgia’s yields per hectare are significantly lower than those of neighboring countries and far below EU averages. Bezhitashvili also noted a roughly 5-billion-GEL discrepancy in statistical formulas (production + imports – exports), which, in his view, distorts the real picture.
Bezhitashvili described systemic barriers that discourage investors from developing agricultural land. He said he applied three times to lease a 200-hectare plot and was denied each time on conflicting bureaucratic grounds. “The document says the land is arable, but the response says it is pasture. Then begins a bureaucratic chain - ministry, governor’s office, municipality and everything gets blocked. As a result, the land remains idle.”
He emphasized that agriculture is already a high-risk sector, and such bureaucratic hurdles make it even less attractive for business. Bezhitashvili believes the government should prioritize involvement of practical specialists rather than relying on PR-driven approaches. He also criticized the fact that sectoral businesses were not invited to the presentation of the latest agricultural research. “We could have provided real data and practical analysis, but this was not taken into account.”
According to him, genuine recognition of the sector’s challenges and improving the competitiveness of Georgian products is essential to ensure that “money stays in Georgia” and the country reduces its dependence on imports.
