Potato exports hit a record high in 8 months 2021. The volume of fresh or frozen potatoes exported from the country in January-August even exceeded the annual figures of previous years (2020 - USD 1.1 million, 4252.6 tons; 2019 - USD 977 thousand, 3,935.9 tons). It should also be noted that according to the latest official statistics, in January-August, the country earned $ 8.8 million by selling 23,748 tons of products. This figure is 865.7% higher comparing to the same period of 2020, and 924.7% more compared to 2019.
The main export market for Georgia is Russia. The country earned USD 7.8 million by exporting 17,602 tons of potatoes in the neighboring country in 8 months. As for the other export markets, the product is mainly sold in the CIS countries - Azerbaijan (USD 315.7 thousand, 2 552 tons), Moldova (USD 287.9 thousand, 1 421 tons); Belarus (USD 177.1 thousand, 669 tons), Turkmenistan (USD 125.3 thousand, 871.1 tons); Armenia (USD 101.3 thousand, 401.8 tons); Kazakhstan (USD 27.7 thousand, 204.5 tons) and Ukraine (USD 5 thousand, 25 tons).
As of the official statistics, potato exports even exceed the imports. In the first eight months of 2021, Georgia purchased 10,158 tons of fresh or frozen potatoes worth USD 2.2 million from eight import markets.
According to official statistics, this figure is 30.2% lower than in the same period last year, and 10.2% higher than in the first eight months of the year.
The main market for potato imports for Georgia in January-August this year was Turkey, in 2020 - Germany, and in 2019 - Azerbaijan.
In the 8 months of 2021, the potato import markets are as follows: Turkey - USD 1.3 million, 8,757 tons; Netherlands - USD 507.4 thousand, 635.3 tons; Germany - USD 308.8 thousand, 350.5 tons; Denmark - USD 58.9 thousand, 91.2 tons; Iran - USD 36.8 thousand, 175 tons; France - USD 29.4 thousand, 68.6 tons; Egypt - USD 6.1 thousand, 29 tons; Armenia - USD 2.3 thousand, 9.5 tons.
