The Agrarian Issues Committee discussed for the I reading the Draft Law on Food Losses and Food Waste Mitigation and Food Donation.

As MP Khatia Tsilosani noted, the legal initiative implies the retitling of the Law into the Law On Food Losses, its Waste Mitigation and Food Donation.

“The scope of the Law covers food waste prevention, since in case of its generation, the proper management is imperative. It is a brand new Law in the national legislation regulating food waste in a standalone manner, exclusively and thus, Georgia is the first country in the region to adopt the Law on food waste, its prevention, mitigation and loss management. The key essence of the Draft is introduction of new concepts and directions to facilitate proper management of food waste”, - she noted.

According to her, the Law will allow the business and other persons with the respective need to compose a chain and get connected to each other in a way to make this engagement beneficial for both. The food banks are to be established in view of food dissemination.

The Draft creates the legal basis for the tax reliefs and it is crucial that mitigation of food losses and waste, as well as food donation will be encouraged.

She thanked the EU and UN FAO, as well as all the parties for their efforts in development of the hereof Draft. In this context, the Senior Advisor of the UN FAO, Jumber Maruashvili introduced the report on behavior of Georgian consumers regarding food waste and the respective survey.

The Committee approved the legal package.