Tbilisi (GBC) - According to the preliminary data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat), in 2024 the total number of active economic agents engaged in organization of markets in Georgia was 197, and 35.5% of those were located in Tbilisi, while 17.3% were located in Imereti, 12.2% – in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, 11.7% – in Kakheti, 7.1% – in Kvemo Kartli, 5.1% – in Adjara, 4.6% – in Shida Kartli, 2% – in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, 2% – in Samtskhe-Javakheti, 1.5% – in Guria, and 1% – in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region.
Limited Liability Company was the most prevalent legal form for economic agents engaged in organization of markets and it held 75.1% share of total number of active markets in 2024, while the Individual Entrepreneur held 21.8%. Other markets had the legal form of Joint Stock Company (2.1%) and Cooperative (1%).
95.9 percent of markets were under private ownership in 2024, while rest of 4.1% were owned by the state.
In 2024, all economic agents engaged in organization of markets occupied 2 million sq. m area combined. These markets were equipped with 61 vet laboratories, 1059 units of storage facilities with total area of 22.1 thousand sq. meters, and 366 units of cold storage (refrigerators) with 0.8 thousand tons of total capacity.
In 2024, 36.1% of active markets were roofed (trade took place inside of buildings), 34.5% were open type markets (trade took place outside of the buildings), and 29.4% were semi-roofed (trade took place inside as well as outside of the buildings).
In 2024, sellers carried out trade with food and non-food goods on territory of active markets. 31% of markets traded only with non-food goods, single market traded only with food goods, three market traded with cars as well, while three other markets traded only with poultry and livestock.
Trading days differed by markets in Georgia in 2024: daily trade was carried out in 151 markets, while Sunday trade was organized in 25 markets, trade except Sunday was pursued in two markets, and for the rest of markets one-, two-, three-, or four-day trade was carried out during different days of week.
The number of market-places in the markets reaches 47.4 thousand, with 36.5 thousand sellers per day on average.
In 2024, the average annual number of persons employed in administration of economic agents engaged in organization of markets amounted to 2.7 thousand. 32.4% of these people were females, and 46.9% were based in Tbilisi.
In 2024, income of economic agents engaged in organization of markets amounted to 194.4 million GEL. Issuance of trading rights licenses (one-time payment) generated 12 million GEL (6.2%) of this total income, renting out trade stands generated 167.6 million GEL (86.2%), while 14.8 million GEL (7.6 %) was other income. In the same period, total expenditures of economic agents engaged in organization of markets amounted to 115.2 million GEL, of which 47.7 million GEL was salary for employed persons.