State support during the grape harvest allows thousands of winegrowers and farmers to continue their activities and motivates them to produce quality grapes, which is of paramount importance for the development of the winemaking industry and the competitiveness of Georgian wine in international markets.
According to the Chairman of the National Wine Agency, Levan Mekhuzla, “It is a priority for us that the grapes of winegrowers are not left unsold. The state gets involved in the grape procurement process during the grape harvest only when the harvest is in surplus, and there is no demand for it from the private sector.”
According to the Chairman of the Agency, the state’s actions are fully aimed at improving the quality of Georgian wine.
“It is of paramount importance that the raw materials from which wine is made are of high quality. With the changes planned for the current year’s harvest, in case the state has to accept excess grapes, three prices have been set. One of the goals of this decision is to promote the production of quality wine and increase the motivation of winegrowers to produce quality grapes,” said Levan Mekhuzla.
The Chairman of the National Wine Agency spoke about the changes to the “Law of Georgia on Vine and Wine”, in particular, the issuance of consent for the cultivation of entrepreneurial vineyards starting from this year. “Only those who plan to engage in commercial activities will have to obtain a permit to cultivate vineyards, and this does not apply to those who plan to cultivate vineyards for personal use. When cultivating vineyards, attention should be paid to the quality of vine seedlings, cultivation exposure, soil, and varieties. Everything should comply with the standard that allows us to obtain a quality grape harvest and wine. If an entrepreneur takes all of this into account, he will not encounter any obstacles in obtaining a permit to cultivate,” he said.
As the Chairman of the National Wine Agency noted, it is precisely as a result of state support that the winemaking sector has become successful. Winemaking is the country’s leading strategic sector. Georgian wine is consistently among the top five export products of Georgia. The country receives more than half a billion US dollars in revenue from the export of wine and spirits alone every year. In order not to disrupt the 8,000-year history of Georgian wine development, the state declares its constant support for the winemaking industry.
It is worth noting that in 2019-2021, the state implemented a program to support the cultivation of vineyards. After it became clear from the side of winegrowers that there was no longer a need for support in the direction of vineyard cultivation, this program was suspended.
