Non-standard apple harvest has been fully absorbed – farmers received GEL 12 million in income
The Director of the Rural Development Agency, Zurab Gozalishvili, together with the State Representative in the Shida Kartli region, Simon Guledani, summarized the results of the non-standard apple sale promotion program at a meeting with members of the coordination headquarters and representatives of fruit processing enterprises involved in the program in the city of Gori.
“As a result of the implementation of the state Industrial apple sale promotion program, the economic outcome is reflected for each participant of the program, the processing sector, and farmers. It is important to note that the concentrate obtained from processing non-standard apples is exported, mainly to Germany,” said the Director of the Rural Development Agency, Zurab Gozalishvili.
Within the state program, 15 fruit processing enterprises accepted more than 40 thousand tons of non-standard apples. As a result, farmers received more than GEL 12 million in income. The state subsidy exceeds GEL 4 million.
Within the framework of the program, apples were accepted by fruit processing enterprises in the regions of Shida Kartli, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti.
The state subsidy was granted to those fruit processing companies involved in the program that, by December 15, 2025, purchased at least 1 kg of non-standard apples for no less than 27 tetri from individuals employed in the horticulture sector; the Rural Development Agency issued a subsidy of 10 tetri per 1 kg of non-standard apples.
The state “Industrial apple sale promotion program” was launched in September of the current year to support farmers in the harvest absorption process. To ensure the organized acceptance of non-standard apples, a coordination headquarters operated by the decision of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.
The summary meeting was attended by Deputy Directors of the Rural Development Agency Giorgi Avaliani and Giorgi Maziashvili, the First Deputy Mayor of Gori Municipality Ioseb Mazmishvili, and parties involved in the implementation of the program.
