Who is who is Georgian business ? Mill ltd. Tbilisi (ABSTRACT)

Phati Mamiashvili

Every month Georgia consumes 40-45 thousand tons of wheat. Local mills can satisfy at least 70% of total demand. Specialists say that if all mills are put into operation, Georgia will not need to import flour from abroad.

According to statistical data, there are 67 mills in Georgia, among them the newest one ? mill “Tbilisi” ltd. ? was put into operation in November 2004. Though the mill has only four-month experience, it is still very popular on domestic market. Moreover, mill “Tbilisi” with its high-tech equipment is one of the first among its competitors.
The mill “Tbilisi” is located on the 11th kilometer of airport highway from the center of the capital. It is equipped with modern apparatus, newest machines, grain-washer that makes it possible to produce high-quality flour. The mill has a laboratory, wheat terminal, electric sub-station, shop-storehouse for the sale of wheat and bran as well as auxiliary buildings, etc.
Nuru Charkseliani, the director of mill “Tbilisi” says:
High-quality pasty wheat is imported from Kazakhstan and Russia. We process up to 2500 tons of wheat per month. If consumption grows, we have the chance to increase production and process up to 7000 tons of wheat. Our production is ideal. Without vitamin blends we produce high quality, first-quality, second-quality flour and bran. We sell production in the capital and in different regions of Georgia. We have some distribution outlets. I think that our business will expand more in this sense. We supply production to approximately 15-20 bakeries. Our only problem is low-quality import flour. Cheap flour stands in competition to our business and causes decrease of consumers. Imported flour is mostly a low quality, enriched and, accordingly, cheap product. If the state exercises stricter control over import of enriched products to Georgia, I am sure, local mills will become more competitive.
Every month the company pays approximately 60 thousand laris to the budget. When cheap flour is imported to the market, indicators of the company’s production sales decrease by 40%. Naturally enough, this has an impact on the budget.
There is the danger of product falsification. In such cases, board of directors is compelled to buy dubious products and examine them in its own laboratory. The enterprise does not have foreign partners. It depends on its own finances, high-quality production and local bank loans. The company enjoys good image in the countries from where it imports wheat.
Up to 70 collaborators work in the mill. The minimal salary is 100 GEL. Despite the fact that the company has made much work over 4 months, company representatives still think that their real capabilities have not been used to the end.