Georgia expects good wheat harvest – expert

Heavy rains in Georgia over the past month have caused discomfort to the population, but have had a good effect on grain, an expert believes.

The wheat harvest in Georgia in 2024 may reach 180 thousand tons, about 20% more compared to 2023, said Levan Silagava, executive director of the Association of Grain and Flour Producers of Georgia.

Georgia consumes about 800,000 tons of flour during the year. Most of the wheat flour consumed (about 78%) comes from Russia, which is the largest supplier of grain among others.

“Last year Georgia harvested 150 thousand tons of wheat, which we know from statistics. This year it will probably be 20-30 thousand tons more. This is preliminary data,” Silagava said at the Kvira Press Club.

According to Silagava, heavy rains in Georgia over the past month, although they caused discomfort to the population, but had a good effect on the grain. Now, he said, the main thing is to keep the weather cloudless so that farmers can harvest their crops on time.

Georgia’s wheat harvest will start in a few weeks.

In order to increase the competitiveness of Georgian wheat and promote its sale on the local market, the government decided to impose a tax of 20 tetri per kilogram on imports of more than 200 kilograms of wheat flour from June 12 to November 1, 2023.

In early October, the temporary duty was extended until March 1, 2024 and the tax was increased by 25%, i.e. the tax is set at GEL 250 per 1 kilogram of flour. The term of validity of the duty was extended once again in November, until September 1, 2024.

Market Overview

Wheat is grown in different regions of Georgia, but the largest crops are in the so-called wine region of the country – Kakheti, in the districts of Signagi and Dedoplistskaro, and a little in Sagarejo. In Dedoplistskaro 55 thousand hectares of arable land, from here up to 80% is occupied by wheat and rye.

There are also wheat fields in Kvemo Kartli: in Bolnisi, Marneuli, Gardabani districts, there are crops in Tsalka, Bogdanovka, Akhalkalaki and Akhaltsikhe, but it is mountainous and the harvest matures later. There are small wheat fields in Shida Kartli region, namely in Gori and Kareli districts.

According to statistics, in 2023 wheat production in Georgia decreased by 6.5% and amounted to 146.6 thousand tons. During this period, the sown area of wheat amounted to 56.7 thousand hectares, and the average yield was 2.6 tons per hectare.

Tags: wheat, Georgia, crop forecast