On June 5, 2019, a meeting dedicated to innovations in agriculture was held. Academician E. Shapakidze made a presentation on the topic: “Georgian Sericulture: Problems and perspectives”. He underscored the following: Sericulture has always been one of the leading fields in agriculture and played a significant role in Georgian economy because it was also a source of income. Georgian silk material was popular not only in Georgia, but also abroad and had a good reputation on world market, therefore silk was a valuable commodity. After 1990s, when Georgia gained independence and market economy was established, a few attempts for restoration of Georgian sericulture have not been effective. He also mentioned that restoration of Georgian silk production should be based on cooperation between farms, agrarians, producers and market specialists. Alongside those measures, it is important to raise the level of mechanization and introduce new machines, which will increase economic effectiveness and attract new labor force. Among many other limitations, the presenter stressed out poor food base for silkworm, necessity of development of silk egg production and combining sericulture with other fields of agriculture.
One of the key points in the presentation was improvement of quality through implementation of effective measures and deepening relations with international organization of sericulture specialists BACSA (Black and Caspian Seas and Central Asia Association of Sericulture).
It is important to get new breeds of mulberry tree which will be resistant to mulberry tree diseases (leaf curl, alura) through selection process. Improvement of silk egg selection process will result in high quality of silk thread. Those and many other urgent problems regarding sericulture and silk production restoration in Georgia have been raised and discussed on scientific level by Academician Elguja Shapakidze.
The meeting attended the representatives of the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture and its agencies, international organizations, researchers and agrarian specialists, the farmers.
The Statement made by the meeting participants was passed to the presidium of the Academy for further discussion, so that the proposal should be presented to the government representatives for consideration.
On Decision of the Commission for Innovations, a working group is organized which will continue working on the abovementioned problem – restoration of sericulture in Georgia and its further support – work out recommendations and prepare other necessary documentation.