THE ROLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE IN ECONOMIC GROWTH OF SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI REGION OF GEORGIA

The article presents the analytical description of the current situation of aquaculture development in Samtskhe-Javakheti region and in Georgia in general. The data about sector development natural potential are provided, the indicators of the fish production dynamics are analyzed in the paper. Water resources have a great potential and their ecological-sound use enables Georgia to meet not only an internal demand of the country on the fresh water fish, but also due to specifics of the local waters, produce export product. Internal water resource of fresh water for fishery production includes total water surface of 16,900 ha of 860 lakes. Samtskhe-Javakheti region is distinguished with the specific water resources compared to other regions. The regions is rich with the hydro-resources, including the R. Mtkvari water-collecting basin, the basin of the rivers Uraveli, Paravani, Borjomistskali and Gujaretistskali with total size 6,250 m2, with the total water resource of 3, 475 mln m3. The region territory covers 15 non-drying, 25 drying and 64 little lakes, 5 water reservoirs transforming into the swamp of the hydro-resource objects. The total size of the basin of the main lake exceeds 983 m2, the volume of the water reaches to 400 million m3. The water reservoir located in the Lirbalakhi basin in the region includes 2.08 million m3, and the size of the swamps is 817 ha in the region. The article studies the dynamics of the land plots occupied by aquaculture. According to the data, there is 23% of growth of the land plots occupied by aquaculture in entire Georgia; while the situation is different in the target region, there is 10% of reduction, followed by reduction of the share of aquaculture land from 11.1% until 10.6%. Study of the aquaculture fodder supply demonstrated that use of combined fodder is increasing in Georgia; average rate of the growth consists of 5-7 % in the country, while the rate is higher in Samtskhe-Javakheti region, where use of combined fodder achieved 35% of growth. There is tendency of growth in use of all kind of fodder. The index of the fodder expenses reached 1.30 throughout entire country, while it is 1.38 in Samtskhe-Javakheti, indicating strengthening of the fodder basis and intensive development of the field. The analysis of fish production dynamics is also an indicator for the further development of the aquaculture. In 2021 compared to 2019, there is 16% of growth in production of the fish, comprising 2,861 tons. The growth achieved 24% in the same period in the region what can be considered as a positive phenomenon in fishery production in Georgia, where the share of the fish farms (family-run) was increased up to 60% with growing engagement of the farmers aged 25-45 from 20% up to 29%. The rate of fish production is in compliance with the increased rate of water stock. The study revealed the specific problems (fish structure, diversification of the fodder, veterinarian service, growing of young fish) requiring solution to increase development of fresh water fish breeding, making financial sustainability of farming and economic growth of the region.