The Rural Development Agency's Deputy Director, Natalia Kharatishvili, along with the Deputy State Commissioner of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Davit Verava, recently toured the facilities of beneficiary company "Blue Garden". The duo inspected a newly-developed blueberry plantation and cold storage facility located in the village of Zana, within the Senaki municipality.
Natalia Kharatishvili underscored the invaluable role of state-backed initiatives and programs orchestrated by the Rural Development Agency. She highlighted that these efforts are a lifeline to farmers at nearly every step of the value chain. They aid in everything from initial production to storage and processing, and further support by fostering access to a broad spectrum of markets.
The Deputy Director also emphasized the scale and impact of the co-financing program for processing and storage enterprises. As of now, the program supports 114 cold storage farms across Georgia with preferential agro-credit, amassing over 164 million GEL, designated for the creation and expansion of these crucial facilities.
In 2020, "Blue Garden" became a recipient of co-financing worth 249,664 GEL. This was aimed at establishing a blueberry plantation sprawling across 17 hectares in the Zana village, courtesy of the forward-looking "Introduce the Future" program. Additionally, the company received preferential agro-credit amounting to 500,000 GEL. The state's support continued into 2021, with "Blue Garden" securing a grant of 484,000 GEL from the Rural Development Agency for the installation of a modern, standards-compliant refrigerated farm, alongside a preferential agro-credit of 730,000 GEL.
Equipped to store up to 250 tons of blueberries, the cold storage facility not only bolsters the company's operations but also brings a substantial boost to local employment. The company offers permanent jobs to 15 local residents, with seasonal opportunities for daily workers peaking at 150. Moreover, the products nurtured and stored in these facilities are destined for both the local and international markets, highlighting the far-reaching implications of this commendable initiative.
