Rebounding in spite of the pandemic, export markets for Georgian honey are beginning to flow and the volume of honey is growing rapidly. In the first eight months of 2021, 117 tonnes of honey were exported to eleven countries; France, Bulgaria, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Five times more than the 21.7 tonnes of honey, exported to six countries in 2020.
A major recent development has been the establishment of a contract for wholesale bulk honey between Api Geo Ltd in Samtredia and Naturalim France Miel a large honey company in France. In September, forty-three tonnes of honey was shipped to France. A second order is now being prepared for shipment. Strict testing in France and Germany and a new factory and equipment capable of homogenizing 20t of honey at a time mean that the company is the first in Georgia to able to reliably service such a market.
‘This is just a start; we hope to export at least 100 tonnes of Georgian honey to France this year. We want to supply from smaller-scale beekeepers which will help them with selling their honey, which has been a problem for years in Georgia.’ - Gia Ioseliani, Founder of Api Geo Ltd.
September was also a fortunate month for Kakhetian Traditional Winemaking (KTW) producers of the Nena Honey brand which includes the first Bio-certified Jara honey in Georgia. The company has just shipped a second large order of six types of Nena honey to Hong Kong, including chestnut, blossom, alpine, linden, Jara and honey with nuts including Bio Jara honey. Nena Bio Jara honey is also on its way to Doha, Qatar. Overall, since January 2021, the company has increased the volume of honey exported by 110%, compared to 2020, to markets in Canada, USA, Hong Kong, Japan, Azerbaijan and Qatar.
Bio certification of Jara honey in Ajara is receiving considerable governmental backing.
‘We are proud that export markets for bio-certified Jara honey are growing and now it is being exported to countries like Japan, the USA, and Canada. We started to support Bio-certification of the Jara Beekeepers Association in 2021 to continue to supply diverse export markets for such a flagship product.’ - Giorgi Surmanidze, Minister of Agriculture of Ajara.
The Jara Beekeepers Association is consolidating its entry into the Japanese market in partnership with MF Company Ltd. In September they exported honey to be shown at an exhibition in Tokyo in October, after which the next order will be placed.
‘Japanese consumers are loving Jara honey, some of them told us that it helps them with stomach problems. We believe that this exhibition in Tokyo will open up new opportunities for the Jara Beekeepers Association.’ - William Pratt, Co-founder of MF Company Ltd.
Two cows died and a man has been infected due to contracting Anthrax in Patara Toneti Village, Tetritskaro Municipality. According to the representative of the NFA – Shota Poilarashvili the first cow died on July 17th, although the blood samples for laboratory testing were taken only by July 26th. During ten days the infected carcass had been abandoned in the ravine of the village.
Following on from the meeting with Shorena Bziava on May 21st in Kutaisi, Alliances KK met with Davit Narmania, the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia. The main purpose of the meeting was introducing the Minister with Women’s Room, a new municipal service in Dmanisi, Tetritskaro and Tsalka municipalities, facilitated by the Alliances KK programme. Mr. David was informed about the main idea of WR and the services offered there. The information about the activities, the events carried out and the number of visitors since the establishment of WRs – were also overviewed. GENDER GUIDELINS for VILLAGE REPS with flyers of Women’s Room and Newsletter were presented and discussed.
Two cows died due to contracting Anthrax in Useinkendi, Karabulakhi Community, Dmanisi municipality on 13th May 2013. As the deputy of Gamgebeli Dato Petviashvili stated, a blood sample was taken from only one dead cattle and Tbilisi Veterinary Laboratory has subsequently confirmed the animal death was caused by Anthrax. The local government put Karabulakhi under quarantine for two weeks. The NFA commenced mandatory vaccination in the village and approximately 250 heads of livestock were vaccinated.
On 21st of May a meeting was held with Shorena Bziava, Gender Equality Council secretary at Georgian Parliament in Kutaisi. Alliances KK representatives introduced the programme Gender activities - a new municipal service Women’s Room and Guidelines for the Village Reps.
Mercy Corps, Alliances KK has contracted “Eco Films” a Georgian independent wildlife film company to create a documentary about shepherds of Kvemo Kartli region. In the film “Two Week to Reach the Clouds” the process of animal movement from winter pastures in Kakheti to summer pastures in Kvemo Kartli will be depicted following a herder family during two-week-long trip from the lowlands to the highlands. The aim of the documentary is to show the cultural-traditional context of Georgian sheep farming based on the example of one sheep farmer family and its herd. The film will also show social as well as economic importance of the sheep migration and associated problems within the context of Georgia’s diversified nature and landscape.
The Feasibility Study for the Animal Movement Rout and animal disease notification and control, two key topics were discussed on the 4th advisory committee on the 29th of March. At the beginning of the meeting the Alliances KK Programme Director Ms. Helen Bradbury provided a brief presentation concerning the interventions of the programme.
