Starting April 1, Georgia will introduce new irrigation tariffs along with a state subsidy program, according to a government decree. The new pricing structure replaces a tariff set 14 years ago, which authorities say no longer reflects real operational costs.
Gigla Tamazashvili, General Director of “Georgian Amelioration,” said the updated tariff is based on actual operating expenses, while capital and maintenance costs will continue to be fully covered by the state. Under the new system, irrigation fees will be calculated per cubic meter of water, set at 0.0826 GEL, rather than per hectare as before.
Based on this formula, one irrigation cycle will cost 116.5 GEL per hectare. For annual crops, four cycles total 466 GEL, of which 349 GEL will be subsidized by the government. For perennial crops, the seasonal irrigation cost is 408 GEL, with 306 GEL covered by the subsidy—meaning the state will pay roughly 80% of farmers’ irrigation expenses.
While the new tariff significantly increases the cost of one irrigation cycle for unsubsidized farmers- up from the previous 75 GEL per year (and 45 GEL in western Georgia), the government will subsidize three irrigation cycles per season. Farmers will need to cover the remaining payments themselves.
