2 minute read
Hazelnuts Georgia – Up, down, up?
Farm in rural Georgia
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Hazelnuts Georgia – Up, down, up?
The Georgia industry has been a rollercoaster with a short history of successes and failures. Production was nosediving in the last three years to a level that was threatening the existence of thousands of farmers. I met the people who contributed to a phenomenal comeback in a very short time – among them Merab Chitanava, Chairman of of the Georgian Hazelnut Growers Association. But let’s start at the beginning.
The Clipper: Tell us about the young, exciting and troubled history of Hazelnut exports from Georgia.
Merab Chitanava: Georgia has always been a country of hazelnuts, traditionally in the Black Sea regions. The country started growing up in the hazelnut sector in 2003. People started actively planting in 2004. The Ferrero group arrived in 2007, Ferrero has its own farm in Georgia since then. That was a big hope for everyone in the industry, which was a big hope for everyone. In 2009 production also started in Kakheti near the Azerbaijani border as a consequence of the decline of wine exports to Russia. We had a huge boost in production in 2011/2012 because of the high prices that were sere set by Turkey.
Auf und Ab bei den Haselnüssen
Die Haselnußproduktion in Georgien hat eine Achterbahnfahrt hinter sich - mit einer kurzen Geschichte von Erfolgen und Misserfolgen. Die Produktion brach in den letzten drei Jahren auf ein Niveau ein, das die Existenz von Tausenden von Bauern bedrohte. Ich traf die Menschen, die in kürzester Zeit zu einem phänomenalen Comeback beigetragen haben - darunter Merab Chitanava, Vorsitzender des georgischen Haselnussbauern-Verbandes. Aber fangen wir am Anfang an.
The Clipper: Erzählen Sie uns von der jungen, spannenden und beunruhigenden Geschichte der Haselnussexporte aus Georgien.
Merab Chitanava: Georgien war schon immer ein Land der Haselnüsse, traditionell in den Schwarzmeerregionen. Das Land begann 2003 im Haselnusssektor zu wachsen. Die Menschen begannen 2004 mit der aktiven Pflanzung. Die Ferrero-Gruppe kam 2007 nach Georgien - Ferrero hat seither eigene Plantagen hier. Das war eine große Hoffnung für alle in der Branche. Im Jahr 2009 begann die Produktion auch in Kakheti nahe der aserbaidschanischen Grenze als Folge des Rückgangs der Weinexporte nach Russland. Aufgrund der hohen Preise, die von der Türkei
Hazelnuts Georgia – Up, down, up?
The Georgia industry has been a rollercoaster with a short history of successes and failures. Production was nosediving in the last three years to a level that was threatening the existence of thousands of farmers. I met the people who contributed to a phenomenal comeback in a very short time – among them Merab Chitanava, Chairman of of the Georgian Hazelnut Growers Association. But let’s start at the beginning.
The Clipper: Tell us about the young, exciting and troubled history of Hazelnut exports from Georgia.
Merab Chitanava: Georgia has always been a country of hazelnuts, traditionally in the Black Sea regions. The country started growing up in the hazelnut sector in 2003. People started actively planting in 2004. The Ferrero group arrived in 2007, Ferrero has its own farm in Georgia since then. That was a big hope for everyone in the industry, which was a big hope for everyone. In 2009 production also started in Kakheti near the Azerbaijani border as a consequence of the decline of wine exports to Russia. We had a huge boost in production in 2011/2012 because of the high prices that were sere set by Turkey.
