Compared to last year, the product price has soared by 20-25%. Experts explain the growing demand for nuts by approaches change on the consumer market.
Mamuka Beriashvili, director of NUTS.GE, in an interview with Commersant said that nowadays people prefer natural and organic products that can explain a growing demand for nuts.
"Nuts are a natural product. The world's attitude has changed and people are choosing natural products. Demand for chocolate butter containing nuts is on the rise. Bread is made with nut flour. Nuts are also used in the production of gluten-free products. All this increases demand for nuts in the world", Mamuka Beriashvili says.
Amid a growing demand, the problem of selling nuts has been solved. However, hazelnuts quality in Georgia remains a problem. Farmers say that the quality of the harvest in Western Georgia has deteriorated due to strong winds in May. Marmorated stink bug is still a problem that significantly spoils the quality of the harvest. This year, nuts quality in Kakheti is better than in the western regions.
According to Otar Sherozia, the executive director of the Hazelnut Farmers Union, the situation is good on the poisoned plantations where agricultural measures against marmorated stink bug were carried out in time.
In a conversation with "Commersant" Otar Sherozia spoke about the factors that determine quality of hazelnuts in Georgia.
"Regions are facing a labor shortage. The state provides assistance, but there were still people who did not poison the plantations due to the lack of poisoning machines. Commercial plantations have no such problem, the quality of the nuts is good there," says Otar Sherozia.
The price of nuts is determined by the harvest quality and the proportion of healthy hearts. The price of the harvest is low at the time of harvest and increases after it is completed. For this reason, the industry experts talk about the need to develop storage and drying farms.
Otar Sherozia believes that storage and drying farms should be expanded to properly respond to the demand increased in several months after harvest and supply the market with well-preserved nuts.
50% of Georgian hazelnuts are exported to EU member states. The rest are sold in the Middle East and Africa. Trade volumes with China have also risen. The industry representatives expect China's interest in Georgian nuts to grow further due to strategic cooperation and a free trade agreement and believe that China will pay a higher price for Georgian nuts than Europe.
China's interest in Georgian nuts is growing
