Research on Fish Disease Diagnostics to Be Introduced at the Adjara Laboratory and Research Center to Support Aquaculture Development
To support the advancement of aquaculture in Georgia, comprehensive diagnostic research for fish diseases will be launched at the Adjara Laboratory and Research Center in Batumi.
Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Solomon Pavliashvili, together with Zaza Shavadze, Minister of Agriculture of the Adjara Autonomous Republic, visited the facility to assess its current capabilities and discuss plans for expanding diagnostic services.
“Strengthening diagnostic capabilities for fish diseases is vital for the development of aquaculture in Georgia. As part of the country's efforts to align with EU standards, new diagnostic methods are being actively introduced. Our objective is to ensure that fish farmers across the region can access international-standard research locally. It is worth noting that the State Laboratory of Agriculture and the Adjara Laboratory and Research Center are already cooperating actively. Under the inter-laboratory memorandum, specialists have undergone retraining, and the procurement of essential diagnostic equipment is underway. Once equipped, the center will be able to conduct comprehensive diagnostics for all major fish diseases in Adjara,” stated Deputy Minister Solomon Pavliashvili.
Irma Apkhazava, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Adjara Autonomous Republic, emphasized that aquaculture is a key priority for the region:
“One of the strategic priorities of the Ministry is the development of aquaculture, which directly depends on strengthening laboratory diagnostic capacity. We are grateful to the State Laboratory of Agriculture for their active collaboration. We are confident that in the near future, fish farmers in Adjara will have access to the research services they require—right here in the region.”
The meeting in Batumi was attended by Irakli Guledani, Director of the State Laboratory of Agriculture; Lela Surmanidze, Deputy Mayor of Batumi; and representatives from both the Adjara Laboratory and Research Center and the State Laboratory of Agriculture.
