Nuts Cultivation Company, Georgia

Sustainable organic almond cultivation in Georgia
Since 2018, Pakka has been involved in setting up one of the country's most important organic almond projects in the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia - together with the Nut Cultivation Company (NCC). The aim is to empower local farmers through new jobs and the targeted transfer of expertise in organic farming.

​​Ideal conditions for almond cultivation
Although organic almond cultivation is still in its infancy in Georgia, the Kakheti region in particular offers excellent conditions. The dry climate with an annual rainfall of around 700 mm is ideally balanced by the Lori River - perfect conditions for healthy almond production. The climatic conditions also promote natural drying of the harvest and significantly reduce the risk of fungal infestation.

Challenges and solutions in organic farming
Organic farming places high demands on technology and expertise. For example, NCC relies on cover crops and mechanical weed removal between the trees and rows of trees. To ensure sustainable irrigation even in these remote cultivation regions, solar-powered pump systems were installed - an important step towards energy independence and security of supply.

From the test phase to a scalable model
Synergies with potential: hazelnuts as the next stepThe project was launched in 2018 with a test planting on 20 hectares. The pilot phase was successful - suitable almond varieties such as Lauranne, Ferragnes and Ferraduel were selected. Today, NCC already cultivates 200 hectares of organic almond plantations. The first major harvest of around 20 tonnes of organic almond kernels is planned for 2025.
The long-term goal is to expand the cultivation area to 500 hectares by 2030 and achieve an annual production of 50 tonnes of almond kernels. To make this growth possible, NCC is relying on an outgrower programme with local farmers in addition to its own resources. This gives Georgian agriculture the opportunity to establish almonds as a sustainable product.
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Synergies with potential: hazelnuts as the next step
n addition to almonds, the potential for sustainable hazelnut production is also currently being examined. Through this targeted diversification, our other Georgian partner Pakka Georgia could benefit from a stable, high-volume supply of high-quality hazelnuts in future - a further step towards regional value creation and organic farming.​