Georgia, Russia mull further agricultural, trade cooperation

/By AzerNews/

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

The Georgian and Russian delegations discussed various opportunities for further cooperation in agro products and trade fields at the Green Week 2015 exhibition in Germany on January 19.

Zaza Dolidze, Head of Georgia’s National Food Agency, signed an agreement with Sergey Dankvert, Head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) under the Green Week 2015, which envisaged the export rules for the Georgian green products.

The agreement said until the state system of laboratory expertise was established in Georgia, the Georgian and Russian sides should jointly implement preliminary procedures of the green products’ phytosanitary certification.

Products of Georgia should undergo a strict analysis at the Rosselkhoznadzor’s plant quarantine centre before being exported to Russia.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the existing turnover of agricultural products between Georgia and Russia, which is calculated at $200 million.

The opportunity to export the Georgian fish, honey, sunflowers, corn and green products to Russia was also discussed at the meeting.

The Georgian delegation, led by Georgia’s Agriculture Minister Otar Danelia attends the Green Week exhibition along with the representatives of about 100 countries from January 16 to 25.

During the event, Georgia’s Agriculture Minister held meetings with representatives of the agricultural ministries of Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Turkey, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Uruguay, Belarus and Argentina.

Georgia’s agricultural products’ export growth opportunities, food safety, veterinary and land management issues, as well as milk and meat production in Georgia were the main issues on the meetings' agenda.

Moreover, the sides also talked over the live cattle import from Georgia, processed meat export from Georgia throughout the Caucasus and greenhouse promotion in the country's border regions.

José Graziano, Director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, said Georgia was becoming an important player in the international market place.

Georgia showcased a large variety of Georgian products including the wine, Chacha (a grape vodka), beer, lemonade, juice, tea, Churchkhela (traditional Georgian snack made from nuts and grape juice), Gozinaki (a traditional Georgian confection made of caramelized nuts, usually walnuts fried in honey), plum, jam and nuts.

Berlin Green Week is a large, annual international trade fair for processors and marketers in agriculture, horticulture and various food industries across the globe.