Investment bank Galt & Taggart, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, has presented a research study on the agricultural sector, alongside Georgia’s Agricultural Development Index.

“The trajectory of the index shows that the agricultural sector is developing steadily year on year. This result is no accident; it is the product of a consistent policy directed at agricultural development, the strengthening of the rural economy, and the support of domestic production,” Songulashvili said.

The Minister emphasised that agribusiness is a vital engine of economic growth, fostering employment, rural development, and food security. As such, supporting this sector continues to be a top priority for the government.

“In recent years, state support programmes have expanded considerably, processing and cold-storage infrastructure has been developed, and investment in the sector has grown, all of which have contributed to the country’s economic recovery. Since the launch of state support programs, agribusiness output has grown at an average annual rate of 8%. By 2025, this figure reached 18 billion lari,” stated the Minister.

He also reported substantial growth in agri-food exports. As Songulashvili noted, last year Georgia achieved a record USD 1.8 billion worth of agri-food product exports to 110 countries worldwide.

“The future of the sector depends greatly on partnership, bringing together the state, business, academia, and farmers. With this in mind, we are undertaking a major reform that will fundamentally transform the Rural Development Agency’s operations. From April, our farmers and other interested beneficiaries will be offered entirely new directions within the agricultural support programmes. We aim to make Georgian produce competitive on both domestic and international markets, ensuring the further accelerated development of Georgian agriculture and its transformation into a modern, innovative, and highly productive sector,” Songulashvili said.

According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, the Galt & Taggart research shows that Georgia’s Agricultural Development Index, encompassing productivity, price stability, and investment, has demonstrated an overall positive trajectory between 2017 and 2024. The study further indicates that the food market is growing rapidly, reaching approximately 21.5 billion lari in 2025, and is projected to reach 30 billion lari by 2030 should current trends continue.

The event commenced with welcome speeches by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Davit Songulashvili, and Bank of Georgia CEO Archil Gachechiladze.