David Songulashvili: Supporting Georgian Quality Agricultural Production Remains Our Main Priority

“Promoting the production of high-quality Georgian agricultural products is our main priority, and all state programs are developed with this goal in mind,” said David Songulashvili, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, during his visit to the Shida Kartli region.

“Meeting with farmers and entrepreneurs in the regions is an essential and regular part of our ministry’s work. Today, we visited several enterprises in Shida Kartli, including greenhouses and trout farms, all of which receive substantial state support,” the Minister stated.

Songulashvili highlighted the strategic importance of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, noting its significant growth potential.

“We have developed an Aquaculture Sustainable Development Strategy for 2024–2028, which outlines key activities to unlock this potential. Now we look to the private sector for new initiatives and investments. I believe interest will continue to grow steadily.”

The Minister also emphasized the importance of greenhouse farming, a sector the government has supported for years.

“Since 2024, the new state program ‘Georgian Vegetables from Greenhouses’ has been in place. It already supports 113 beneficiaries. More than 20 million GEL in loans have been issued for the establishment of greenhouses on 23 hectares, and the state fully subsidizes the interest rate for 24 months,” he noted.

During the visit, Songulashvili held meetings with staff from the National Food Agency, the Forestry Agency, and the Environmental Supervision Department, where he reviewed ongoing projects and discussed current challenges.

“Institutional strengthening is key to achieving our strategic objectives. This is an ongoing process,” the Minister added.

As part of his visit, Songulashvili also inspected the rehabilitated office of the Shida Kartli Forestry Service and assessed the working conditions of field staff.