Russian embargo hits seasonal products

Georgian farmers are encountering serious problems selling their vegetables and fruit at the market. As is known most Georgian agricultural products used to be sold in Russia and that market is blocked today. Most of the apple harvest was going to Russia, today the farmers are desperately looking for a market for this harvest.

The Georgian apple is an organic product with a high vitamin content. However it is not well marketed abroad and no one has developed an effective marketing strategy for Georgian agricultural products.

Economic expert Nodar Kapanadze thinks that the local Georgian agricultural market is not protected. It is expensive for farmers to cultivate the land. Fuel is also costly, so local production thus becomes more expensive. Economist Shalva Melkadze thinks that if the state conducts an appropriate policy towards agricultural production the local market will be easily satisfied with local production.