Chinese greenhouses boost Georgian veg production
The modern greenhouse complex was built by the Chinese company Hunan Agriculture Group on 5 hectares of land area of the LEPL Scientific-Research Center of the Ministry of Agriculture. The complex is comprised of 6 large and 27 small greenhouses. The overall goal of the project is to promote greenhouses and increase vegetable production in Georgia, according to the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia.
"Georgia is in close cooperation with the People's Republic of China. A number of important projects have been implemented in the Kvemo Kartli region under the Georgia-China partnership. The projects aimed to promote the introduction of modern technologies to local farmers, increase their competition and enlarge their production, that will enable farmers to get more income and improve their economic conditions. Subsequently, the growth of local vegetable production will allow us to improve the balance of trade in agri-food sector what is important for the overall economic welfare of a country", Levan Davitashvili said.
Growers have the opportunity to develop their theoretical and practical skills on modern vegetable cultivation practices, to get acquainted with management issues along with vegetable disease control and specifications of construction on solar greenhouses, as well as mechanisms of using bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides in ground closure.
According to the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, the positive results are evident, the greenhouses will provide opportunities for farmers to get more benefits, improve their knowledge in modern technologies and increase their crops. The introduction of modern technologies in production will enable the country to become an exporter of vegetables. The Chinese side is ready to share its experience with Georgia.
According to Kvemo Kartli Regional Governor Paata Khizanashvili, these types of greenhouses are very important for the region, it will allow local farmers to learn more about modern technology and increase their income at minimum costs.
The Technical Cooperation Project between Georgia and China is being carried out according to a cooperation agreement signed by both sides on January 15, 2014. 20 billion yuan (3 billion USD) was granted for this project. Hunan Province Group has been implementing projects successfully in the field of agriculture in terms of developing human resources and training of farmers. They organized 6 educational courses in China for 300 Georgian farmers.