Agriculture Minister meets Italian food industry leaders to boost agrifood investment

Georgia’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Davit Songulashvili, has met with Paolo Mascarino, President of the Italian Food Industry Federation (Federalimentare), and representatives from confectionery giant Ferrero to discuss expanding bilateral agrifood cooperation.

According to the Ministry press office, discussions focused on attracting Italian foreign direct investment, bolstering direct corporate ties, and scaling up Georgia’s food processing capabilities.

“Italy is an important partner for Georgia in developing cooperation across the agrifood sector,” Songulashvili said following the meeting. “Today’s meeting with Federalimentare President Paolo Mascarino provided an opportunity to discuss new avenues for collaboration. For Georgia, we must strengthen our processing industry, support quality enhancements for local produce, expand export potential, and consolidate the standing of Georgian goods in international markets.”

Talks covered joint ventures in food processing, packaging, branding, and export-oriented manufacturing, as well as prospects for Italian firms to establish direct production hubs in Georgia.

Minister Songulashvili proposed creating a practical mechanism to identify targeted commercial opportunities and facilitate direct contact with Georgia’s private sector to convert discussions into actionable outcomes.

Both parties agreed to map out priority sub-sectors, share investment profiles, and organise an incoming delegation of Italian food industry executives to Georgia.

Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Lasha Dolidze, Georgian Ambassador to Italy Tamuna Liluashvili, and Rural Development Agency Director Zurab Gozalishvili also attended the meeting.