Georgia has experienced a significant increase in seed potato imports by 8% year-on-year and 15% compared to the average of the past eight years in March 2022, despite a 10% rise in import prices from the previous year and 25% more than the average from 2014 to 2021. This surge in imports is attributed to the optimism of Georgian farmers regarding the quality of potatoes and the need to boost production due to concerns over food security caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, the increased production costs, including a significant hike in the prices of diesel fuel, herbicides, and fertilizers, have led to a doubling of potato growing expenses compared to the previous season. Although farmers are planting more potatoes, there are fears that the high costs could compromise the overall quality of the crop and disrupt their planned operations.