Agriculture Minister Davit Kirvalidze

Agriculture Minister Davit Kirvalidze. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — Georgia is preparing to start distributing spring vouchers to its farmers.

Preparations for spring are already finished, Agriculture Minister Davit Kirvalidze said after Tuesday’s government session.

The ministry has completed registering about 800 000 land plots and more than 600 000 persons will receive vouchers of at least USD 180 to help finance their seasonal work, the minister said.

He added that the amount of each voucher will increase in accordance with how many acres of land the farmer has.

USD 420 million is allocated for farmer vouchers, and the distribution will start in the next few days.

Kirvalidze also noted that there has been some purchased equipment for the spring work, but more equipment will arrive in March.

The government of President Saakashvili’s National Movement also had a voucher program for farmers, but the amount was lower. In 2012, vouchers were worth USD 18 each.