Minister Davitashvili: “The budget has allocated 100 million GEL, which is a tremendous amount, however, we shall strive toward ensuring stability of Georgian wine industry and attain enhancement trend”
“The budget has allocated 100 million GEL, which is a tremendous amount, however, we shall strive toward ensuring stability of Georgian wine industry” – Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia stated.“We await a very high quality of harvest, which will result into an increased quantity. Mr Prime Minister, you have mentioned an increasing number of vineyards and we shall embrace a growing trend in this regard. During an incumbent year and due to the pandemic, there is a certain disbalance between materials and demand of private companies; the latter case if not relevant only for Georgia. I would like to reiterate how difficult circumstances there have been for almost every country. Despite of this, we have an increase in export and we project improvements in data, however, it is not enough as we had aimed higher. We had planned 15 – 20%, while an actual increase has amounted to 7 – 8 %, which has not been sufficient. Therefore, the State shall initiate an intervention to balance the prices and ensure that payments to the farmers are adequate and their enthusiasm is solid to keep them dedicated to their activities throughout upcoming years. This year, around 300, 000 tonnes of grapes have been processes industrially. This will be yet another milestone during Georgia’s Independence, however, we are striving toward increasing export and triple it; we have featured the respective aspirations within our 10-year plan. We need to increase materials base and maintain a trend of cultivating vineyards in Georgia and establishing new enterprises. Therefore, it was a highly responsible decision of ours to make an intervention during an incumbent year to balance and mediate harm caused by the Covid. We are channelling our actions toward ensuring stable development of the industry during upcoming years” – Minister Davitashvili stated. Minister also reiterated that the Ministry has a full readiness to conduct the vintage in an organized manner. “We have had communication with almost every farmer. Since 2014, we have been carrying out electronic pasportization efforts of vineyards. This is a crucial element for quality oversight for a Georgian wine. During an incumbent year, Kakheti and Racha-Lechkhumi region will be fully ensured with electronic passports, which enable us to hold an accurate information about each and every vineyard, which opens up access to making projections on harvest. The latter actions determine trust toward Georgian wine, which shall be ensured at the highest possible level. I am confident that an incumbent vintage will be organized at an outstanding level. I would like to thank my staff for ensuring an undisputed working process amidst the pandemic. Our actions shall span across each and every vineyard, however, we have opened possibilities for farmers, who will be unable to register on time, they will have a possibility to complete it during the vintage itself. I would like to call on farmers to simplify the process for making it easier to accommodate their harvest and decrease queues and ensure pre-registration of vineyards, which has been a possibility at the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kakheti regions. Mr Prime Minister, I am firm that your assistance has ensured a maximal assistance for our Ministry to overcome the challenges” – Minister Davitashvili stated.