According to the changes made in the state program "Georgian Tea", State funding for rehabilitation works has increased. The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Mr. Levan Davitashvili made a statement on the changes after the government session.

"After the meetings with the farmers, we decided to increase some co-financing for the rehabilitation of tea plantations. In the case of cooperatives, co-financing from the State has increased up to 90% and amounts to 3,000 GEL per hectare, while co-financing for the other beneficiaries will be a maximum of 70% and amounts to 2,500 GEL Mr. Levan Davitashvili declared.

The program envisages the preparation of an agro-technological plan, which must be completed by the beneficiary within 36 months from the date of entry into force of the co-financing agreement.

For the next 2 (two) years, the beneficiary of the program must produce 2,000 kg of raw leaves annually on not less than 1 ha and 1,000 kg of raw leaves - in case of growing bio-tea.

Given the fact that a number of tea processing plants have already been established in the country, and the raw materials for tea are small, the beneficiaries of the program will no longer have the obligation to found an enterprise.

The state program of rehabilitation of tea plantations "Georgian Tea" started in 2016. 39 beneficiaries are involved in the program. Under the program, 1,192 hectares of wild tea plantations were rehabilitated, including 790 hectares of lands leased from the State.