Georgia seeks to increase export of agricultural goods to Saudi Arabia

Strengthening the economic and trade relations between Georgia and Saudi Arabia is the main goal of a Georgian delegation’s official visit to the country.

Saudi Arabia is considering importing livestock, meat, dry fruit, honey and water from Georgia, while Georgia sees Saudi Arabia as a promising market in the Persian Gulf for Georgian agricultural products.

“Georgia has already been exporting livestock to Saudi Arabia…at the meeting [with the Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Hisham bin Saad Al Jaddaei] we agreed to export sheep meat to Saudi Arabia. Now it is necessary to go through certain procedures and reorganise our slaughter system in order to better meet export demands to Saudi Arabia,” said Georgian Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili.

In order to boost, ease and encourage export of goods from Georgia, the Saudi Arabia has initiated the creation of livestock checkpoints to control livestock diseases.

To note, new Bio Security Points opened in Georgia where on average 8,000 livestock during their annual migration are checked for disease. The new Bio Security Points were established on Animal Movement Routes in Marneuli and Rustavi, in Georgia’s Kvemo Kartli region.

The Bio Security Points are concrete, fenced areas with sheep dipping baths and cattle showers where animals undergo disinfection. The Bio Security Points also feature quarantine zones, storage buildings for disinfection facilities and water points for sheep and cattle.

Veterinaries of the National Food Agency monitor the Bio Security Points and their usage by livestock.

Last year agricultural products worth of $7.7 million was exported from Georgia to Saudi Arabia. This was a 68 percent year-on-year increase.

The most exported goods were livestock, hazelnuts, hay, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water.

The visit of the Georgian delegation to Saudi Arabia started on April 24 and will end on April 26. (agenda.ge)