Recommendations for the development of agricultural cooperatives will be elaborated within the framework of the joint project of the Rural Development Agency and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) "Creation of Business-oriented Agricultural Cooperatives in Georgia".

Terunuma Hiroshi, the expert in agricultural cooperatives of the Institute for Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia (IDACA), is paying a visit to Georgia. During the visit, the expert will meet with the shareholders of agricultural cooperatives in different regions of Georgia and get acquainted with the activities of cooperative enterprises of different fields.

The Expert - Terunuma Hiroshi, together with Mr. Konstantine Khutsaidze, Head of the Agricultural Cooperatives Development and Management Department at the Agency for Rural Development, visited the grapes processing plant of the agricultural cooperative Chateau Akura in Akura village, Telavi Municipality.

At present, the activities of agricultural cooperatives in Georgia are not large-scale. Increasing production volume is associated with some difficulties. I think it would be desirable for existing cooperatives to create a mutual assistance business network that will help them overcome difficulties, share strengths and develop. My recommendations will be specifically in these directions Mr. Terunuma Hiroshi declared.

The cooperative plant of the Chateau Acura - agricultural cooperative was established in 2017 within the framework of the State Program for Promotion of Viticulture Agricultural Cooperatives. The cooperative produces several varieties of wine.

The project "Creation of Business-oriented Agricultural Cooperatives in Georgia" envisages to organize the training course based on the recommendations developed in the direction of agricultural cooperatives in Georgia; the members of the agricultural cooperatives will take the training course in Japan.