Prime Minister of Georgia gets briefed on result of anti–BMSB measures at the Coordination Management Center of fighting against the Asian brown marmorated stink bug

Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze together with  the State Representative of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Alexander Motserelia and Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili visited the Coordination Management Center of fighting against the Asian brown marmorated stink bug in Abasha Municipality. Head of Government of Georgia received detailed information from the management team on the means and methods used in the fight against the pest.

As the Prime Minister of Georgia learned at the management center, population of the pest has been significantly reduced this year due to the measures implemented by the authorities and active engagement of the local communities.

It was noted at the meeting that long experience of the USA has been used to develop a State Action Plan for the Fight Against the BMSB. Within a program supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia received 17 tractors and personal protective means last June, while the National Food Agency of Georgia (NFA) received 45 specialized four-wheel drive vehicles this year.

Head of Government of Georgia instructed the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia to continue the measures envisaged in the State Program until the pest ultimately gets under control; and to focus on fungus diseases, which causes significant problems to the hazelnut sector.