1. Development of Agriculture in Georgia 129 Session ICLPST, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 10 June 2016
Inessa Kekelidze
Agricultural University of Georgia

2. Geographical background
Climate –Subtropical(West); Continental(East)
The highest peak – m. Shkhara – m; the lowest –1-2.3m. 
Total area: sq. km.
12 Regions
Cities and towns: 65
Geographic coordinates: 42⁰00’N 43 ⁰30’E
Georgia borders with: Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan

3. Demography, Language, Religion
Population : 3.73 million persons (2015).
Density: 53.5/km2 (137th)
Currency: GEL - Georgian Lari
Official language – Georgian (ქართული - “Kartuli”)
Georgian alphabet from 4th cent. BC –King Parnavaz I
Religion: Christianity (from 337AD)

4. 43.4% - agricultural land 43 % - forest.
Georgia has favorable climatic and natural conditions conducive to development of agriculture.
Total area: 6.97 mHa
43.4% - agricultural land % - forest.
Diverse Biosphere:
12 different zones; 49 types of soils.
Water resourses: rivers, 850 lakes 4

5. Land Administration reform
In 1992 Land Reform – majority of agricultural enterprises ceased their operation. Households fragmented, production naturalized.
Lands divided into parcels
In – Land Administration State Department was closed
Lands were sold to the population.
Nowadays we have:
1) private lands,
2) state lands
3) Land administration system in process of improvement

6. Production of Some Key AgriProducts

7. Table. Number of farms and Area in Georgia (2004)

8. Georgia is one of the oldest wine  regions  in the world.
Grapevine - one of the main crops in Caucasus and very important for economy of Georgia.
In Georgia, more than 500 varieties of Vitis vinifera are described.
The fertile valleys of the South Caucasus house the source of the world's first cultivated grapevines and neolithic wine production, from over 8,000 years ago.
UNESCO added the ancient traditional Georgian winemaking method using the Kvevri  clay jars to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

9. The latest statistics about Georgian wine
In Jan.-March (2016 ): wine export to 26 countries was: 7.7 mln bottles 
 51%- increase than in previous year this period
First 5 countries exporters:
Russia  ,
Ukraine  , 
Kazakhstan , 
Poland  ;
China    bottles.
Received income (from export of wine, brandy, wine material & spirits)  - 33,1  mln US dollars.
Export of Agricultural and food products increased by 19 % compared with 2012 and accounted $612 millions in 2015

10. Foreign relations Georgia is a member of :
WTO (World Trade Organization)
GSP(Generalised Scheme of Preferences) agreements with the US, Canada, Switzerland, Norway & Japan.
Free trade agreement with Turkey & Ukraine
DCFTA (Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement) with the EU.