The FINANCIAL — Brazil is leading among the biggest importer countries of pork and chicken meat to Georgia. According to the data of the National Service of Food Safety and Plant Protection of Georgia, 10,178 tons of pork and 45,498 tons of chicken meat were imported to Georgia from different countries in 2009.
As the National Service of Food Safety and Plant Protection of Georgia told The FINANCIAL in 2009, 8,567 tons of beef and 19,572 tons of frosted fish was imported to Georgia. For the first 5 months of 2010, 20,151 tons of pork, 1,064 tons of beef and 8,985 tons of chicken meat was imported to Georgia.
Pork in Georgia is imported from Brazil, Italy, Spain, Holland and Canada. Chicken meat is imported mostly from the USA and France. India is one of the biggest importers of beef in Georgia. Frosted fish is imported from Russia, Norway, Canada, the USA and Chile.
“We are importing pork from Brazil and also from Hungary. We mostly import fish products from different countries, like the USA, Canada, Chile, Norway, Denmark and many others, it depends on the varieties of fish types,” company Akhali Producti officials noted.
“Our company was founded in 2004 and the first product was launched in 2005. Our company is an innovative and progressive company, which offers high quality food to its customers. Products are made by the highest quality materials available in Georgia; the company is equipped with a modern production line. Akhali Producti supplies are imported from Canada, the USA, Ireland, Iceland, Turkey and Uruguay,” Akhali Producti noted.
According to Akhali Producti, most of the pork in the company is imported from Brazil and demand for these products is quite high.
“Locally produced pork is quite expensive on the market and it’s sometimes quite hard to buy. People mostly buy imported meat and have completely no problem with it,” Akhali Producti said.
Locally produced pork costs 8 GEL. Meat imported from Brazil costs 6 GEL.
“As well as the meat which we buy on the local market our compay imports meat from Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Spain, Italy and Germany,” said Giga Batkuashvili, PR Manager of Nikora.
JSC Nikora was founded with Georgian capital and has existed on the local market for 11 years already.
“The business which started with the production of food products soon expanded in different directions. At present, the holding incorporates meat products, semi-finished products, fish products, dairy products, ice-cream, bakery products, frozen confectionary, soft drinks and wine companies. One of the affiliates is an exclusive distributor of imported food products and beverages in Georgia,” Nikora Officials noted.
According to most of the people interviewed by The FINANCIAL, they mostly buy imported meat products, like chicken meat from France and pork from Brazil.
“In our family meat is one of the main products in our everyday food. We often buy semi-prepared products on the market. Chicken meat from France is very tasty and I think that it’s much easier to prepare,” said Ekaterine Abashidze, 27.
“I know that it’s better to buy local products but I think that Brazilian pork and French chicken meat are very tasty and good quality. Imported meat might not be as useful as local products, but they are cheaper and people often buy them,” said Nana Bekauri.
Despite being one of the biggest importers of meat in Georgia, according to Kyiv Post Russia's veterinary and phytosanitary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor banned shipments of meat from a number of companies in Germany, France, Brazil, and Poland effective July 30 due to the detection of prohibited and harmful substances.
