საქართველოს მთავრობა|Government of Georgia

Today, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Vano Merabishvili, inspected buckwheat field in Akhalkalaki. High quality buckwheat imported from Ukraine was sown at 130 hectares at the territory of former Russian military base, in 2012. Such a project has been implemented for the first time in Georgia. This is a pilot economy and this is planned to extend it and cultivate new plots of land.

Except for the field, the economy also includes a mini-plant equipped with modern technologies, which will sort the received harvest in food and sowing categories. At the beginning stage, farmers expect to get one ton of buckwheat harvest per hectare. Although, in the nearest future, as a result of fertility growth and cultivation of new plots of land, this will be possible to fully replace buckwheat import in Georgia. Currently, import capacity amounts to 1,800 tons. Creation of new economies will also support employment of local population, which is an integral part of a new four-year government program of agricultural development.

When talking to farmers, the Prime Minister, Vano Merabisvili, emphasized the fact that so far, in this region, mainly wheat and potato have been sown for a long time; cultivation of uniform cultures causes impoverishment of land, thus, this is important to sow and cultivate different cultures in alternation, which makes possible to get diverse harvest and improves fertility of land as well.

According to the Prime Minister, buckwheat is not cultivated in the Region (Azerbaijan, Armenia), and, accordingly, together with growth of harvest, after replacement of import, this will become profitable to export it. The Prime Minister emphasized one more important function of this economy and pointed out that this will be possible to supply farmers of different regions of Georgia with the high quality seed received from this field.
This very day, the Prime Minister, Vano Merabishvili, inspected rehabilitation works of terrace vineyards cultivated at Khizabavra, historic part of Aspindza, in 6th- 8th centuries. Rehabilitation of unique terraces in its primary shape at 3 hectares is under way. In November, different species of vine including local Meskhetian unique specie of vine will be cultivated and this is planned to get the first harvest in 2014.

When talking to people employed on rehabilitation works of the terraces, the Prime Minister emphasized historical-cultural importance of the place. Vano Merabishvili explained that historically, grapes had been cultivated here during centuries and this is important to return its primary shape with this respect as well. Apart from this, the Prime Minister directed his attention to touristic potential of Khizabavra and arranging touristic infrastructure at this place. According to Vano Merabishvili, together with growth of number of tourists, additional jobs will be created for local population. Consequently, source of income will appear and profit will grow for local people.