Timely harvesting and storage remain among the main challenges facing Georgia’s almond and walnut sector. Levan Kvariani, chairman of the Almond and Walnut Producers Association, said existing processing capacity is currently sufficient for the volumes produced, but preserving the harvest before processing remains problematic.
According to Kvariani, the almond harvest has already begun and will intensify over the next 10 days, while walnut harvesting is expected to start in about a month. Farmers need adequate infrastructure to collect and dry the harvest on time.
“The bigger problem is harvesting and storing the crop before it reaches processing. Farmers need the right infrastructure, proper equipment in the orchard, and timely collection and drying. Unfortunately, there are some problems in this area,” Kvariani said.
He said the issue is directly linked to access to financial resources, as installing the necessary infrastructure both in orchards and storage facilities requires significant investment. Timely storage under proper conditions is critical because almonds and walnuts can be processed several months later. The most challenging period is from September through October.
