Georgia is facing a growing shortage of raw milk, according to the founder of the Kvemo Kartli–based dairy enterprise “Shvanre,” Nona Ansiani. Speaking on BMGTV’s program Women’s Narrative, Ansiani said the sharp rise in dairy imports reflects a lack of raw materials in the local market.
Official data shows that from January to October 2025, Georgia imported USD 33 million worth of cheese and cottage cheese, 28.1% more than in the same period last year. Importing volumes also increased by 20%, reaching nearly 6,000 tons. Ansiani says this trend highlights a structural problem. “If the state does not strictly approach this issue and does not help the sector with subsidies, we will become increasingly dependent on imports,” she noted.
According to her, the main challenge is the declining availability of raw milk. Farms across the regions are shrinking as people abandon livestock due to low profitability. “People see they cannot earn enough, so they slaughter and sell cattle. This has created a severe shortage of milk. The state must support farms, whether through grants, subsidies or other measures, to increase cattle numbers,” she explained.
“Shvanre” upgraded its production line this year, expecting to boost output by 40% and process up to 5 tons of milk per day. However, due to the shortage, the enterprise still processes only 2 tons—unchanged from last year. Ansiani also highlighted the issue of pricing, noting that raw milk and reconstituted milk powder products sell for nearly the same price, preventing producers from paying farmers more. “When water and milk cost the same, farmers are forced to leave the dairy sector and switch to meat production,” she said.
“Shvanre,” part of the “DM-Ansi” cooperative, was established two years ago with a 96,500 GEL investment, of which 93,670 GEL was provided through a state cooperative support program.
