Dried apricots market in Georgia

Earlier Report Observations

Between 2018 and 2019, the dried apricot market in Georgia grew from 378 t to 417 t. This expansion was supported by the steady development of the local food processing industry following privatization and rising consumer demand for domestically produced goods, including dried fruits. However, market volume fell to 352 t in 2020 and continued a gradual decline, reaching 332 t by 2022.

A strong recovery followed, with the market rising to 405 t in 2023. This rebound coincided with a significant increase in domestic production, which grew from 183 t in 2022 to 221 t in 2023. The growth in output was facilitated by state agricultural support measures, such as the Hazelnut Production Support Program introduced in 2022, and cottage food laws that enabled small-scale producers to enter the market more easily.

Production dried apricots in Georgia

In kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Georgia ranked 16th globally in dried apricot production.

Top producers of dried apricots, 2017-2020

World map of production of dried apricots, 2017-2020

The market showed significant volatility during this period. Production volumes reached their lowest point in 2017, then climbed to a peak of 168.5 tonnes in 2018, representing a 71.5% increase from the previous year. In 2019, production saw its largest decline of 14.7%. By 2020, Georgia produced 155.8 tonnes of dried apricots, which was an 8.5% increase compared to 2019. Overall, production varied by 1.7 times between the minimum in 2017 and the maximum in 2018.

Annual dynamics of production in Georgia in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports dried apricots from Georgia

Exports in kind, t

Export volumes showed an unstable trend throughout the period. The highest export level was recorded in 2018 at 45.1 tonnes, while the lowest came in 2020 at just 1.8 tonnes. This represents a dramatic 25-fold difference between these years. In 2020, exports decreased by 86.4% compared to the previous year. The largest increase occurred in 2018, when exports surged by 116.4%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Georgia in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, Russia and Kazakhstan were the main buyers of Georgian dried apricots, accounting for 86.1% of total export volumes. The remaining exports went to various other countries.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Georgia in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

Export values exhibited considerable volatility during the observed period. The peak value was recorded in 2018 at 108.2 thousand US dollars, while the lowest point came in 2020 at 8.4 thousand US dollars. This represents a 12.9-fold difference between these years. In 2020, export values dropped sharply by 76.2% compared to the previous year. The largest increase occurred in 2018, when values rose by 43.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Georgia in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, Russia and Kazakhstan together accounted for 82.3% of Georgia's total dried apricot export value. Other countries made up the remaining share, forming a more diversified but less significant portion of exports.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Georgia in value, 2017-2020

Imports dried apricots to Georgia

Imports in kind, t

After increasing for two consecutive years, dried apricot imports to Georgia declined. The highest import volume was recorded in 2019 at 286.9 tonnes, while 2020 saw imports drop to 198.2 tonnes, representing a significant 30.9% decrease from the previous year. Over the entire 2017-2020 period, imports decreased by 14.2%, equivalent to an annual decline of 5.0%. The largest increase occurred in 2019, when imports grew by 12.5%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Georgia in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, Turkey was the dominant source of dried apricot imports to Georgia, accounting for 92.5% of total import volumes.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Georgia in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2020, the value of dried apricot imports to Georgia totaled 487.7 thousand US dollars, reflecting a sharp 25.7% decrease compared to the previous year. The peak import value was recorded in 2019 at 656.5 thousand US dollars. Over the 2017-2020 period, import values decreased by 20.3%, with an annual decline rate of 7.3%. The largest increase occurred in 2019, when import values rose by 8.7%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Georgia in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Throughout 2017-2020, Turkey dominated Georgia's dried apricot imports in value terms, accounting for 90.8% of total import flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Georgia in value, 2017-2020