Georgia’s blueberry season will become fully active within the next two to three weeks, and growers are expecting a strong year. According to Tornike Panjavidze, president of the Blueberry Association, the country’s orchards have entered full fruiting, which will significantly boost output.
Panjavidze says this year’s harvest will be 30–40% higher than last year, reaching around 10,000 tons. Despite a cold and rainy spring, he expects no major quality issues thanks to improved agricultural practices across farms.
Although poor weather conditions in Spain and Morocco reduced their harvests and caused global blueberry prices to rise, Panjavidze notes that prices will stabilize once Georgia enters the market. Still, he stresses that domestic production costs - including packaging, fuel, and fertilizers - have increased.
Because of these higher costs, the sector anticipates a 7–10% rise in average prices this season. “Market conditions are improving, and this positive trend should help compensate for increased expenses,” Panjavidze said.
