Eter Kharaishvili

The paper evaluates the level of competition on the vegetable market. Based on the analysis of the production development trends and resource potential, dynamics and ratio of export and import of agricultural products, including vegetables are presented; dynamics of self-sufficiency ratio of these products is studied; challenges of food security and competitive advantages of Georgian vegetables are identified.
The article concludes that the country has a significant potential for exporting vegetables both to the countries of Europe and Middle East. The paper discusses the factors that hinder export of vegetables; in addition, the ways for reducing dependency on seasonality, opportunities for the development of modern greenhouses and mechanisms for supplying goods to customers all year round are suggested.
On the basis of analyzing the level of competition on the vegetable market, vegetable business is considered as monopolistic. In addition, it is calculated that, currently, local vegetables products account for only 75% of the market.
The paper evaluates the outcomes of high market power caused by monopoly in vegetable business; the impact of market power on pricing mechanism and the welfare of population is determined. In accordance with the problems identified, conclusions are made and recommendations for solving these problems are suggested.

Nowadays, the top-10 products exported from Georgia are dominated by agri-food products; thus, it is important to increase the competitiveness of locally produced products based on relevant characteristics. The world is changing rapidly, and identifying consumer preferences in such conditions can be vital for an entrepreneur. The purpose of this study is to identify the main characteristics that determine the competitiveness of the agri-food product for Georgian consumers. For this purpose, 1,200 adult individuals from different regions of Georgia who have a stable monthly income were surveyed. The survey was conducted by sending a questionnaire through online channels. The results were processed using data analysis, quantitative research methods. Both simple and complex statistical analysis methods were used: descriptive, frequency, consumer table analysis, analysis of group differences, graphical analysis. As predicted for the majority, 74% of respondents to be exact, quality took the first place. The price comes only in second, and it is chosen by 21% of consumers. With increasing age and income, the importance of quality increases. It was found out that service and packaging are not crucial for consumers in the process of selecting agri-food products. In addition, it should be noted that 42% of respondents are more or less impacted by advertising for agri-food products. Thus, producers need to devote a large portion of their resources to quality improvement, while the state should create a favorable environment for this.