Georgian live sheep exports have expanded to Algeria, according to M.K.G Group, one of the country’s largest exporters of live cattle and sheep. Company owner Mamuka Adamia told BM.GE that Georgian livestock has been well received in the new market.
He noted that export volumes of live cattle and sheep have been growing overall, exceeding $29 million in total value over the first five months of 2026, according to Geostat data. Adamia said the approval of veterinary certification for exporting sheep to Algeria on May 11 was a key step that enabled access to the market.
According to him, demand is also increasing from Central Asian countries, while the government and relevant agencies are actively supporting exporters in opening new markets. He emphasized that expanding exports requires coordination due to differing sanitary and testing requirements across destination countries.
Adamia also said that exports were temporarily disrupted this year due to disease outbreaks and higher transport costs, particularly air freight, which has become largely unprofitable. He added that geopolitical disruptions affecting transit routes through Iran also impacted exports to Iraq.
He concluded that demand for Georgian sheep remains strong in Middle Eastern markets such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, but stressed that production volumes remain limited, restricting the country’s ability to significantly diversify export destinations.
