TBILISI, DFWatch–A ship Wednesday arrived in Batumi to take aboard 300 000 boxes, or 120 tons, of Georgian citrus fruits and bring the goods to Novorossiysk.

The citrus fruit originated in the two municipalities Khelvachauri and Kobuleti.

According to Zaur Putkaradze, Agriculture Minister of the Adjara region, Georgian citrus this year is being exported to Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kazakhstan. He said the fruit is wrapped according to European standards before shipping.

The citrus aboard this particular ship will be brought to Novorossiysk and the price for one ton is USD 70, while customs clearance for Novorossiysk will be USD 275.

At a briefing today Putkaradze said that Russia already has imported 120 tons of mandarin oranges overland. Part of it has been send to Siberia, and part of ot to Moscow.

Russia opened its market for Georgian fruit and other agriculture products on October 14.