Georgians have a proud tradition of dairy products but in recent years the country’s dairy farmers have struggled to meet production and quality demands. FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are working with Georgia to pave the way for improved food quality and safety for dairy products.

Following independence in 1991, dairy farm ownership shifted from the state to the private sector and industrial processing largely gave way to small-scale, home production. Since then productivity has fallen, while imports of milk powder and foreign dairy products have increased.

Lack of quality control means that consumers face a dual challenge of food safety concerns and falsified products, which are a growing problem for the country’s dairy industry.