Sub-component of financing Berry crops
With the purpose of supporting of planting of bog bilberry, blackberry and raspberry gardens some amendments were introduced in the state project Plant the future. A new sub-component Berry crops was added to the component of financing gardens.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili, Governor of Mtskheta Mtianeti Shalva Kereselidze and Director of the Agricultural Projects Management Agency Revaz Asatiani met the population and discussed details of the new sub-component in the Dusheti Community Center.
Planting of Perennial plants is a prioritized direction of development of the agricultural sector. Inclusive development is very important for us as it provides that all parties, including small-scaled producers will be involved into the process of development. The new component of Berry Crops mainly considers supporting of farmers having small agricultural land plots, - stated Levan Davitashvili.
Mtskheta-Mtianeti Governer Shalva Kereselidze, held the meeting with the population interested in the project, mentioned that the stated program is very important for the local population providing them an opportunity to develop their own small farms and receive an income.
Under the scope of the sub-component, in certain regions, 100% of the cost of saplings to be procured will be financed while buying on the local market, as well as in case of their import; 100% of the cost of irrigation systems will be financed as well. In case of necessity, 100% of the cost of the materials necessary for the garden construction will be financed.
The sub-component will be implemented in:
Imereti Sachkhere, Tkibuli, Chiatura, Kharagauli, Bagdati, Vani, Khoni Municipalities and serveral villages of Zestaponi Municipalities;
Guria Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri Municipalities;
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Ambrolauri, Lentekhi, Oni and Tsageri Municipalities;
Samegrelo- Zemo Svaneti Tsalenjikha, Martvili and Chkhorotsku Municipalities.
Mtskheta-Mtianeti Mtskheta, Tianeti, Dushenti and Kazbegi Municipalities.
In case of a physical body, financing of construction of Berry crops gardens of not less than 0.15 and not more than 0.5 ha is permitted per a beneficiary. Area of construction of the Berry gardens by an agricultural cooperative (owning agricultural land plots in the form of a share by shareholders) is determined according to the number of agricultural land plots contributed by each shareholder, multiplied by not more than 0,5 ha per each shareholder.
The agricultural cooperative which will receive a financing for construction of 5 ha garden at least, will be awarded by 1 stationary refrigerator-container necessary for the primary storing of crops with an average capacity of 20 tons.
Implementation of the project Plant the Future was launched in March, 2015 by the Agricultural Projects Management Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia. The project is focused on efficient using of agricultural lands existing in Georgia by way of construction of perennial cultures which will result in replacing of imported products by local products, increasing of the export, simplifying of providing of processing enterprises with the raw material and improving of social-economic state of the population residing in rural arias.