Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

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Levan Davitashvili: " Georgian Government makes best endeavors to conduct the grape harvest successfully and help grape growers and producers not to face problems in delivering and selling grapes”

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili together with the representatives of the wine industry discussed 2019 grape harvest related organizational issues.

 “The scale of the grape harvest is gradually increasing year over year. We enjoyed record grape harvest in 2018 and this year we expect the best yield possible. It should be noted, that organizational challenges, experience and capabilities of the Ministry have significantly increased.

In 2018, more than 200 companies were involved in the harvest process, buying grapes from local farmers. The whole process was held in an organized manner. This year, we expect even more operators and companies to be involved in the aforementioned process. Moreover, wine industry is evolving resulting in increase of wine export. However, despite a number of challenges facing the winery sector, Georgian Government makes best endeavors to conduct the grape harvest successfully, similar to previous years grape growers will not face problems in delivering grapes” said Levan Davitashvili.
Traditionally, grape picking will start from Dedoplistskaro municipality. Other municipalities of Kakheti region will be gradually engaged in the grape vintage process, when grapes enter the stage of ripeness and is ready to be picked.
Wine-producing companies can register both at the coordination headquarters or via online.

The National Wine Agency provides organizational issues, as well as accounting and recording of grape crop. The Chairman of the National Wine Agency, Levan Mekhuzla leads the coordination headquarter.  

This year, about 250,000 tons of grapes are expected to harvest in Kakheti region, which also raises an expectation, that demand, especially on white grapes will be decreased on the free market. Therefore, National Wine Agency is fully mobilized to assist grape growers in overcoming any obstacles they face and make the 2019 grape harvest as smooth as possible.

Due to Georgian Government support to the winery field, the viticulture and winery sector is significantly strengthened in Georgia, thereby it no longer needs subsidy support like in the previous years. The field is moving forward - new vineyards are planted, new wineries have been set up and expanded, agro-credit and agro-insurance systems are operated, wine export volume has increased, export markets are diversified.
However, due to the political events taken place in the end of June 2019 in Georgia, Georgian wine export to decrease to the largest export market and threats for possible sanction  to be imposed by Russia on the import of Georgian wine has created  a negative backdrop, which resulted in certain risk factors to have a negative impact on the activities of the private sector. We would like to note, that Georgian Government does its best to help producers and grape growers not to face crop failure.

The presentation of Vineyard Cadastre Program was also held at the coordinating headquarter. For the first time this year, during the 2019 grape harvest, the grapes Kindzmarauli, Akhasheni, Kvareli and Mukuzani will be delivered only on the basis of vineyard cadastral extract.
The quantity of grapes to deliver from these micro-zones is defined as: no more than 10 tones per hectare. Grapes over 10 tons will be considered as varietal wine grapes.
The State Attorney - Governor in Kakheti Region, Irakli Kadagishvili, Majoritarian MP Gela Samkharauli along with the representatives of local self-government attended the meeting in the coordinating headquarter in Telavi.
The grape vintage 2019 coordination headquarter is located in the Wine Hotel Telavi, in the city Telavi and will work 24 hours a day to develop an effective communication between the state agencies, entrepreneurs and winemakers. The hotline: (1501) opened by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia provides all interested parties with a detailed information on the grape harvest.