From Blueberries to Tomato Beer: Georgia’s fruit farmers find firmer footing abroad

Georgian fruit producers are innovating and cooperating to expand exports and tap into new markets.

Georgia’s fruit and vegetable harvest this year is forecast to rise by 15-20 percent compared to 2023, with around 90 percent of exports going to Russia. Producers in Georgia have problems getting their products into the EU, says president of the Association of Vegetable and Fruit Exporters, Vakhtang Bejitashvili, because of their lack of volume. From blueberries and tangerines to fruit beer, however, there are signs that Georgia’s fruit farmers and associations are finding ways to boost exports and find new markets.

Blueberries as a model for success

Georgia’s great international success with its relatively new blueberry crops shows the endless possibilities. The secret here is a good business model. Blueberry farmers are producing what overseas and especially EU markets want: scale, the latest varieties, and aligned with all regulatory and phytosanitary regulations. Farms are getting larger, producers are marketing jointly, and their packing is efficient. As a result, Georgian blueberry producers can pride themselves on becoming an important global player.

Agriculture overall has become a growth area for the economy, rising by 0.7 percent in Q1 to 5.3 percent, according to the latest Agri Review from the International School of Economics at TSU (ISET). Investment in the sector, however, remains low, the report states, and foreign direct investment (FDI) declined in this period. Ahead of the election, the government promised that a total of ₾3 billion ($1.09 billion) would be allocated to the agriculture sector over the next four years.

Collaboration has been as effective a route as consolidation to higher output and new markets for the larger of the blueberry producers. One major group, the Georgia Blueberry Growers’ Association (GBGA), formed three years ago and has 20 major grower members), for example, operates a centralized system for sales and logistics planning, provides information, and helps ensure fast processing. “The strong collaboration with Georgian state projects and USAID agricultural programs played a meaningful role in this success,” noted Shota Tsukoshvili, CEO of the GBGA, in comments to horticulture trading information platform East Fruit.

From the customer’s side, Tsukoshvili details the winning ingredients as “the wide range of different varieties of blueberries that meet global standard of crunchiness, shelf-life, taste, and flavor.” These have led to market penetration in the EU. GBGA member orchards expect to double export volumes annually over the next three years with a 1,000 tons in 2025 and reaching 10,000+ tons by 2028.

The GBGA members currently farm over 1,000 hectares out of the country’s 3,000 hectares dedicated to blueberries. Around 300 hectares are currently being added nationally to blueberry growing areas each year.

In 2024, the GBGA had sent 500 tons to Europe at the time of this report. Tsukoshvili believes that Georgia could export in total internationally an annual 25,000 tons by 2028, with 10,000 tons of that coming from the GBGA. One of the association’s goals is to diversify the export markets. Historically, Russia has purchased 90 percent of Georgia’s blueberry production. However, the country’s geographic location enables farmers to export blueberries into Asia, the EU, and Gulf countries efficiently, thus able to diversify and avoid much international competition.

For overseas markets, the timing of Georgia’s harvest season works to its advantage and it only partially overlaps those of its major competitors. It is one of the few countries offering low, mid, and high chill blueberry varieties ripening from mid-May to end of July. To widen this narrow time window, Georgian growers—who are mainly concentrated in the country’s three coastal regions—are expanding their orchards up the hillsides into new, cooler areas.

“Georgia has the opportunity to expand production in the eastern part of the country and into mountainous regions to extend the harvesting season to early September,” Tsukoshvili explains. “The rising global consumer demand and introduction of blueberries into non-traditional markets such as India, South Korea, Vietnam, etc. make blueberry farming an interesting opportunity for investments.”

Another objective for the GBGA is to improve local technical knowledge to maximize profitability. Development of products and value chains is continuing, according to Tsukoshvili, including ones that enable farmers to sell second-class blueberries at a European level market price. “These products will help reduce waste and utilize substandard berries that may not be suitable for fresh export markets. We are in the process of finding partners and have already held meetings with Chilean and European companies in the same sector to discuss potential cooperation.”

Tangerines see higher exports, imports

Good and normal two-way business has been seen in tangerines in 2024’s first three quarters, with 9,431 tons exported through September, up from 1,980 in 2023, destined mainly for Russia (8,068 tons). Imports, mainly from Turkey, totaled 4,707 tons against last year’s 3,273.

Tangerine harvests in the 2024 season are expected to total around 40-45 tons, with most of the crop being exported. According to an EastFruit report from the head of Adjara’s citrus co-ordination agency, Raul Tavartkiladze, prices have been rising, although bad weather has reduced volumes. Processing of non-standard citrus will be expanded, with two plants operating compared to one last year. The Adjarian government has increased the subsidy to growers. Costs, says EastFruit, were similar to 2023.

Not every fruit is perfect, and initiatives have been introduced to help farmers. Under a state program, 12 processing companies are purchasing substandard apples (with the help of government subsidies). By early October, 9,000 tons had been collected, and the expected total this year is forecasted at 50,000 tons. Last year the total processed was nearly 18,000 tons.

Stone fruit exports growing

Export of apricots, peaches, cherries and berries, as well as plums and gooseberries, increased by 19 percent. According to official statistics, 30,991 tons of fruits were exported during the summer, which is 15 percent higher than last year’s volume. The stone fruit alone was worth $29 million. While these were sent to six different countries, Russia takes the bulk and the rise in the export total was because of increased sales there. In 2024, 29,222 tons of these fruits were exported, worth $32 million, making up the fifth largest sector among Georgia’s total exports.

Georgian producer invests in fruit beer

A new fruit venture in Georgia spotted by EastFruit is catching up with fashions in other countries—fruit beer. While Japan has banana beer and Poland a whole fruit beer range, including beetroot, tomato, and carrot, Georgia has opted for tomato. Small, independent Georgian craft beer company NaturAle Brewery, which is already making apple cider and tkemali beer, has started production of lightly alcoholic “tomato gose” and for a kick adds adjika.

Sergo Makarov, who founded NaturAle Brewery in the Tbilisi suburb Dighomi with his wife eight years ago, says the company is planning to export in the future. “We are constantly experimenting and rotating the production line – we replace something, and add something. We supply our beer and cider to bars and specialized stores in Tbilisi and Batumi. In the future, in addition to the Georgian market, we plan to enter the export market. There is already interest in our products in the UK and Poland.”