Georgia's Hazelnut Industry Moving Toward a Sustainable and High-Quality Development
In a significant move to bolster Georgia's agricultural sector, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), AgriGeorgia, the European Union, and Sweden have joined forces to modernize and professionalize the hazelnut industry. The focus is on improving sustainability, quality, and supporting small-scale farmers.
Key initiatives include the launch of the Georgian government's Hazelnut Production Support Program in 2022, which aims to enhance competitiveness by providing subsidies for pesticides and agrochemicals critical for managing diseases and pests in hazelnut orchards. The program also created a national cadaster of orchards for better monitoring and targeted support.
The FAO's role centers on promoting sustainable agriculture practices and improving production standards, as the sector moves towards sustainability and quality. AgriGeorgia, the EU, and Sweden collaborate on efforts to professionalize the sector by encouraging sustainable practices and improving value chain integration. This collaboration aims to increase small-scale farmers' capacity to produce high-quality hazelnuts that meet international export standards, ensuring better market access and income stability.
The impact on small-scale farmers has been substantial. The subsidies and registration system have made critical inputs more affordable and provided targeted support, potentially reducing losses from pests and diseases. By aligning production with EU quality requirements, these initiatives help smallholders improve the quality and marketability of their hazelnuts, particularly as the EU remains the largest export market for Georgian hazelnuts.
However, challenges remain, notably in technical facilities for drying and storage, which affect product quality and farmer income. Addressing these infrastructure gaps is part of ongoing modernization efforts to ensure long-term sector resilience.
Recent workshops held in Zugdidi and Telavi brought together over 130 farmers, processors, and food business operators. The sessions emphasized modern orchard management techniques to boost productivity and reduce losses from diseases and pests such as the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB). Regenerative agriculture approaches were also introduced to improve soil resilience.
Guido Agostinucci, FAO Programme Manager, highlighted the importance of hazelnut production to Georgia's agriculture industry and stressed the need for investment in rural infrastructure and stronger linkages between growers and processors. He also emphasized that post-harvest issues, such as cleaning, drying, and storage of hazelnuts, remain some of the most persistent challenges.
Otar Sherozia, a hazelnut grower from Senaki, reported improvements in his orchard's health after adopting modern farming techniques learned in the training. The trainings also covered topics from orchard maintenance to food safety standards, aiming to bridge the gap between traditional Georgian farming methods and global market demands.
Looking ahead, the FAO and AgriGeorgia are planning a Hazelnut Machinery Demonstration Day to showcase new technologies in orchard management. Quality and food safety standards are tightening globally, making these trainings essential to ensure Georgian hazelnuts meet those standards and remain competitive. Agostinucci also stressed the need for year-round support, not just short-term projects, for timely guidance for farmers.
The ultimate goal of these efforts is to make Georgian hazelnuts a trusted product in high-end markets, requiring quality control, certification systems, and farmer education. By addressing the sector's challenges and empowering small-scale farmers, the collaboration aims to enhance the hazelnut sector’s productivity, sustainability, and export potential.
In this context, the collaboration between FAO, AgriGeorgia, the EU, and Sweden seeks to expand beyond agriculture, with an aim to enhance the economic potential of small-scale farmers through education and self-development programs. For instance, workshops could be organized to educate farmers about business strategies and financial management to ensure the sustainable growth of their food-and-drink businesses.
Moreover, as the Georgian government's Hazelnut Production Support Program facilitates access to quality education and self-development resources, there is an opportunity to broaden the scope to include lifestyle management strategies. Such strategies could include nutrition advice for healthy food-and-drink options, as well as guidance on sustainable living practices that align with the core principles of the program.
