BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 28
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
A large-scale program of co-financing of agricultural mechanization will begin in Georgia starting from September 1, which provides for the issuance of grants to farmers for the purchase of agricultural machinery, Trend reports citing Georgian media.
According to the Rural Development Agency (RDA), which will implement the program, the amount of grant co-financing will depend on the cost of the purchased equipment.
Thus, if the cost of the technical facility is within the range of up to 100,000 lari ($32,400), the state grant will amount to 35 percent, if 100,000 lari and more - 30 percent (maximum 70,000 lari / $22,700).
It is reported that acceptance of applications from farmers for participation in the program will be carried out in electronic form, and their consideration - in order of priority.
The Agency noted that applications will be accepted for the purchase of only new (not used) technical equipment. But at the same time, they added that, on the same conditions, the state will co-finance the purchase of agricultural machinery in the period until December 31, 2021, including harvesters from the state-owned Agricultural Logistics and Services Company LLC.
Participants in the program will be obliged not to export the purchased equipment outside the country.
According to the Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili, programs to assist farmers in the acquisition of agricultural machinery were carried out in Georgia in previous years, but if only a few million laris were envisaged for their financing, then the budget of this year's program is much higher - it amounts to 50 million lari ($16.2 million).
It is expected that thanks to this amount, several thousand units of new agricultural machinery will appear in the country.
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