Book Description

This study was produced under an FAO-EBRD Cooperation project on reviewing the development potential of the tea sectors of Azerbaijan and Georgia. As a result of the joint research in the two countries carried out as part of the project, a similar separate review of the Azerbaijani tea sector was also published under the FAO Investment Centre's Knowledge for Investment (K4I) programme. Tea has a long tradition of cultivation in Azerbaijan and Georgia, dating back to the nineteenth century. The structural changes that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s led to a dramatic decline of the two countries’ tea sectors. However, interest in tea production in Georgia and Azerbaijan has increased in recent years and, in an effort to revive their once thriving tea sectors, governments have adopted sector development programmes that provide for support to primary tea production. In spite of the long tradition and accumulated know-how of tea production and processing, there is little doubt that investments in both technology and knowledge will be required for the Azerbaijani and Georgian tea sectors to grow in a successful and sustainable way. Production focused on efficiency and quality and mindful of shifts in consumer preferences on global markets, but also of potential environmental risks, will be critical in achieving this goal. This publication is part of the Country Investment Highlights series under the FAO Investment Centre's Knowledge for Investment (K4I) programme.