With the support of the European Union, Sweden, and Austria, honey production in Georgia's highland region is on the rise, paving the way for Georgian honey to enter the global organic market.

With its rich natural resources and pristine ecological conditions, the mountainous regions of Georgia, more specifically the Racha and Lechkhumi areas, offer an extraordinary environment for producing organic goods. One local company, "GEO NATURAL," has been producing natural honey to agroecological standards for years, earning accolades in Europe and beyond. However, to further enhance the appeal of its products to the global organic market, the company recently initiated the process of bio-certification.

Giorgi Iashvili, co-founder of "GEO NATURAL," believes that Georgia should prioritize the development of organic production, given the country's ample resources to meet the demands of the international niche market and potentially generate up to twice the average income. His company has thus focused on organic production and is now undergoing bio-certification with support from the European Union, Sweden, and Austria, through the GRETA project.

“Through our observations, we discovered that the principles of our work align with bio trends. Our primary production location in Racha is ecologically pristine, enabling us to produce high-quality honey. However, without bio-certification, our product cannot be considered a bioproduct. To address this, we have taken appropriate steps to initiate the bio-certification process for both our beehives and our facility." says Giorgi Iashvili.

The support from the European Union, Sweden, and Austria for honey production in the highland region of Georgia goes beyond certification subsidies. In addition to funding, partner beneficiaries have been equipped with necessary production machinery, trained on updated rules and guidelines for organic production, facilitated to participate in international exhibitions, provided with marketing support and training, and benefitted from the expertise of an agent. Looking to the future, plans are in place to redesign product packaging in line with global trends as well.

During our discussion, Giorgi Iashvili shared his strong stance on participating in international exhibitions, saying, "It's crucial to keep up with the latest trends in the international market. You can't simply rely on internet research or news articles. You need to see it for yourself and get a feel for what potential foreign customers are seeking in your product“.

With the invaluable support of its donors, “GEO NATURAL” has not only participated in international exhibitions but has also garnered fruitful results. The superior quality of honey produced in Racha has captured the interest of international buyers, leading to the establishment of two formal business connections.

“It has gained quite a lot of interest, and it is still growing. It has attracted significant interest from European countries, including France, as well as countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United States.” Says Giorgi Iashvili, co-founder of “GEO NATURAL”.

Honey producers report that the support of the European Union, Austria, and Sweden has enabled them to tap into their export potential and gain valuable experience in managing the export process. Obtaining professional guidance from an experienced export manager has proven to be a crucial factor in the successful export of their products, which was once unattainable for small entrepreneurs due to the associated costs.

We assist them throughout all stages of their business operations, such as communication with their clients, shipping processes or customs clearance-related support. Among all, we create strategic plans and market research reports for them to understand better the necessary information, know which market to enter and work more purposefully in this regard. Moreover, we prioritize the transfer of relevant knowledge so that entrepreneurs can manage the process independently in the future. – Says Davit Makashvili, Export Manager.

With the support of the European Union, Austria, and Sweden, seven small and medium-sized businesses are making significant progress towards establishing Georgia as a leading producer of organic and bio-certified honey in the global market. With these critical resources and strategic guidance, these enterprises are poised to make a major impact on the international stage in the near future.

Project GRETA | "Green Economy: Sustainable Mountain Tourism and Organic Agriculture" is implemented by the Austria Development Agency in Georgia with the support of the European Union, Austria, and Sweden. The project aims to facilitate an improvement of the business environment and the creation of new income opportunities in two important sectors of the Georgian economy, mountain tourism and organic agriculture.

This material has been produced with the assistance of the European Union, Sweden, and Austria, within the framework of the GRETA project. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA)/GRETA project and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, Sweden, or Austria.