The development of land for perennial and annual crops, the total area of which will exceed 500,000 hectares, remains a priority in the 10-year plan for rural development. The growth of agricultural production in the country gradually makes it possible to replace imports as well as maximize export opportunities, said Ilia Tamarashvili, Head of the Rural Development Agency.

The Head of the Agency together with the Deputy State Representative in the Shida Kartli Abel Abesadze visited the village of Mejvriskhevi in the Gori municipality, where they toured the newly planted orchards within the scope of the state program Plant the Future.

Farmer Tamaz Zumbulidze planted a new orchard in Mejvriskhevi village of Gori municipality as part of the state program Plant the Future in 2019. The farmer received GEL 51,000 in state funding to grow an apple, plum and pear orchard of 6 hectares and organize an irrigation system. GEL 36,000 of this amount was allocated for the purchase of seedlings and GEL 15,000 for setting up a drip system. Now he is waiting for the first harvest of the year in the garden, which was planted according to modern standards.

According to Abel Abesadze, Deputy State Representative in the Shida Kartli region, the state programs supporting the development of agriculture are important for the economic strengthening of the region.

New perennial gardens have been planted on over 2,800 hectares in the Shida Kartli region under the state program Plant the Future. State co-financing exceeded 18.8 million GEL.