Levan Mekhuzla, Chairman of the National Wine Agency, announced that starting next year, Georgia will introduce stricter price differentials for wine grapes based on quality, a move to reinforce the reputation of Georgian wine in global markets.
The policy builds on this year’s system under which the state enterprise Crop Management Company purchased surplus grapes at varying prices depending on quality. Farmers received 1.50 GEL per kilogram for Saperavi grapes harvested in Kakheti, 1.20 GEL for other approved varieties and 1.00 GEL for substandard or damaged grapes.
Mekhuzla said this approach has already set an important precedent in the wine industry by linking price to quality. “A very important decision was made, grapes of different quality now have different prices. This system will remain in place and become even more rigorous next year,” he stated.
Despite heavy rainfall in parts of Kakheti that affected grape quality, Mekhuzla noted that the private sector succeeded in producing high-quality grapes suitable for winemaking.
The National Wine Agency stated that around 336,000 tons of grapes were processed during this year’s harvest, the highest figure in three decades. Approximately 22,000 winegrowers took part, earning a combined 475 million GEL. The Kakheti region accounted for the majority, processing 327,000 tons of grapes and generating 432 million GEL in income.
The harvest has now concluded across Georgia, with only the Lechkhumi region expected to finish in the coming days.
