Diesel fuel prices in Georgia have doubled over the past year, raising concerns among farmers as the country’s agricultural sector begins work on planting winter crops.

Farmers warn that higher fuel costs could increase the cost of agricultural production and make it more difficult to sell locally produced goods, according to Sputnik Georgia.

Rati Kochlamazashvili, deputy head of the Georgian Farmers’ Association, said the impact could be significant if farmers have to use more expensive fuel throughout the entire agricultural cycle, from planting to harvesting.

Kochlamazashvili said that Georgian farmers are already facing competition from imported agricultural products, which can often be sold at lower prices due to agricultural support mechanisms available in other countries.

Georgia’s relatively low consumer purchasing power is another challenge for local producers.

“The challenge is global, but many other countries have mechanisms to support agriculture and farmers, so imported products are still cheaper than local ones. Especially when Georgia’s purchasing power is taken into account, the issue of sales could indeed become a problem,” Kochlamazashvili told BMG.