The first Cheese Factory in Ajara, Natural Produktsia Ltd was officially opened in Dioknisi, Khulo Municipality.
Construction of the factory started in April, 2015 and has been functioning since October. Natural Produktsia Ltd is the first and only cheese factory in upper Ajara producing Imeruli cheese currently at the largest scale in Georgia. The factory is set up with modern equipment and is producing cheese in accordance with FS&H standards. The factory collects milk from 22 villages of Khulo municipality from more than 300 farmers, who have now have a source of daily income. The factory processes up to 6 tons of milk daily and makes Imeruli cheese, Sulguni cheese, cottage cheese and butter. It employs 23 local farmers, out of which 11 are women. The factory is the sister factory of the family enterprise Tzesari Ltd whose factory in Sakdrioni village Tsalka produces sulguni which is sold in Carrefour in Tbilisi and in the Batumi Agrarian Market, leading hotels, such as Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson; restaurants - Porto Franco, Munchen, Pier Batumi, Riviera; supermarkets like Goodwill, Nugeshi, Nikora, Ialchin, Willmart, Absolute, etc.
Natural Produktsia Ltd started its journey in 2011, when the Director of the Company, Arkadi Kakhadze got involved in the family business and started distribution of Sulguni cheese in Ajara as a wholesaler from his brother Tsezari’s factory in Tsalka. During the tourist season, volume of the cheese sold was about 2.5 tons, as it was getting popular for its high quality and special taste. The company had a stable market for sulguni cheese amongst supermarkets, hotels and restaurants, but recognized the unserved market segment of compliant, factory produced Imeruli cheese which makes up 80% of market demand. Also, due to the lack of cheese processing enterprises in Ajara region, the raw milk market was untapped. Thus Arkadi Kakhadze decided to use the family experience and build a new factory in Khulo municipality.
The opening was attended by the Minister of Agriculture of Ajara, representatives of Municipality Gamgeobas, the National Food Agency and the Donor Organization.
The OLMA trade show – a Swiss Agricultural and Food Fair has been held every year since 1943 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The year’s 74th exhibition was held from 8-18 of October. 623 exhibitors and 375000 visitors attended the show.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) was the one of the exhibitors this year. The SDC created 8 country stands including that of the Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus.
Name: Natural Produktsia Ltd
Place: Dioknisi Village, Khulo Municipality
Type of business: Cheese Factory
Product: Imeruli Cheese
Suppliers: about 450 women from 13 villages of Khulo
Current production per day: 5 tons of milk (700 kg of cheese)
The Problem
The 450 women now selling milk directly to the milk collectors of the Natural Produktsia Ltd Factory in Dioknisi, Khulo used to make cheese from their milk. Women are responsible for milking the household cattle and making the cheese, butter, sour cream and cottage cheese which is then sold as an important part of the family’s livelihood.
Selling these products however is hard and uncertain. The journey by marshutka to Batumi Agrarian Market can take up to 4 hours on bad roads. It is taken to the market by husbands or other male family members or sent with the driver and met by a relative who then tries to sell it. There is no guarantee of a sale and often the family is forced to accept a low price from the market vendors rather than take it home again.
The NFA announced a tender on September 28th for the construction of two further Bio Security Points of the same design in Dedoplistskaro and Sighnaghi municipalities. The tender winner company was identified on October 5th.
For the first time in Georgia 6 universities will soon offer specialized courses on agricultural journalism.
The universities in Batumi, Kutaisi, Gori, Telavi, Akhaltcikhe and Caucasus International Universities in Tbilisi who already offer academic programmes on journalism, mass communications and agricultural education will now add agro journalism. The course prospective tutors have just had Training of Trainers for two days.
Following work in KK and SJ the Women’s Room model is being replicated in Ajara region, where Ajara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) is proving an invaluable partner by opening the first Women’s Room at the Association of Business Women of Ajara (ABWA).
The “Women’s Room” will open up opportunities for the ABWA in terms of coordinating activities, trainings, advocacy raising meetings and information sharing. All these will contribute into stimulating women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment and attracting more women members to the association.
The Ministry of Agriculture through the National Food Agency has posted details of the construction of the six Bio Security Points on the Animal Movement Route, the construction of two of which have started this month.
Minister of Agriculture Otar Danelia stated.
“It is very important that concrete steps toward the development of the livestock sector have been taken. Rehabilitation and modernization of the Animal Movement Route has started. Building modern standard Bio Security Points will promote animal health protection and will reduce the spread of animal disease” – he said.
