Georgia: Owners of small hazelnut plantations will receive cash subsidies, larger ones will receive preferential agricultural loans

The State Hazelnut Production Assistance Program, which will begin in Georgia this year, provides assistance to both small and larger farms. The decision to support the hazelnut production sector through the implementation of a new program was announced at a meeting of the Georgian government on October 31. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, at the first stage of the new program, hazelnut farmers (individuals) who own or use hazelnut orchards ranging from 0.2 to 3 hectares will receive a subsidy from the state at the rate of 500 lari ($180) per 1 ha. According to EastFruit, the corresponding amounts will be credited to farmers on agricultural cards, and they will be able to use them to purchase various goods necessary for caring for hazelnuts. Farmers who own hazelnut orchards with an area of 3 hectares or more will have the opportunity to receive preferential agricultural loans to replenish working capital within the framework of the ...