The Gardabani-based farm, LLC “Rancho Gardabani,” aims to double its milk production this year, company director Armaz Khardzhiani told BM.GE. Currently, the farm houses around 200 cattle, including dairy cows, young stock, and calves. From late February, the farm plans to import an additional 45–50 Swiss cattle to significantly boost output.
Khardzhiani explained that the farm’s existing herd was primarily imported from Russia due to lower costs and logistics, noting that importing from Switzerland or the Netherlands would take at least three months, whereas Russian cattle arrive within two weeks. He expects the new additions to increase daily milk output by at least 800 liters, effectively doubling current production.
The total investment for importing and updating the herd is approximately 400,000 GEL. Khardzhiani highlighted that market demand for natural milk far exceeds supply, with studies showing that 87% of dairy products sold in Georgia are made from powdered milk, leaving natural milk with only a small market share. He also criticized large processors for buying natural milk at very low prices, while retail prices remain high.
To address this, “Rancho Gardabani” has partnered with a company called “Milken,” which produces natural milk and pays farmers a fair price of 2 GEL per liter. Khardzhiani emphasized that this stable partnership, combined with increased production, will strengthen the farm’s sustainability and competitiveness in the Georgian dairy market.
