Government to subsidise the 2020 grape harvest
PM Gakharia said that the price of Rkatsiteli and Kakhuri Mtsvane will not be less than 80 tetri. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The government of Georgia will subsidise the 2020 grape harvest, especially grape varieties of Rkatsiteli and Kakhuri Mtsvane in order to support farmers completely sell their produce, announces Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia.
Gakharia said that the price of Rkatsiteli and Kakhuri Mtsvane will not be less than 80 tetri.
He also added that in case of extreme necessity, the government will be involved in the purchase of grapes.
A budget has already been allocated for the subsidy.
One of the targets of the government's anti-crisis plan is villages, Georgian farmers. We did our best to help these people, to strengthen Georgian farmers during the crisis. In addition, everyone knows how winemaking has been developing in recent years. 2019 was a record year when 94 million bottles of wine were exported from Georgia", Gakharia said.
In addition to the government’s anti-crisis plan that also supports the wine sector, the government extended the agro-credit programme which now covers the wine industry as well, and will help wineries overcome problems caused by the pandemic.
The volume of grapes processed during the 2019 harvest in Georgia reached 271,000 tonnes, which was the highest harvest vol over the last 30 years, said the Georgian National Wine Agency.
Traditionally, the wine harvest begins in September in Georgia’s winemaking regions – Kakheti, Imereti and Racha.
The Ministry of Agriculture has extended support programmes for business and agriculture, and offers grapes, hazelnuts and tea producers an effective support package, said Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia earlier today.
Georgia is getting ready for the major grape harvest season during which more than a hundred thousand tonnes of grapes will be picked, packed and sold locally or exported. Traditionally, the wine harvest begins in September in Georgia’s winemaking regions – Kakheti, Imereti and Racha.
The wine-making sector is giving new energy to job creation and strengthening Georgian business, announced Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia at a meeting with wine-makers earlier today.
The volume of grapes processed on a daily basis in Georgia has reached 9,000 tonnes in the past 24 hours, which is the highest rate of harvest over the last 30 years in Georgia’s grape-producing Kakheti region.
The grape harvest season is picking up steam in the Georgian winemaking region of Kakheti, where 200 tonnes of grapes have already been processed as of August 26, announces the Georgian National Wine Agency.
About 11,000 tonnes of grapes of various varieties have been processed in the Kakheti region, east Georgia, as of September 8.
About 40,000 tonnes of grapes of various varieties have been processed in Georgia’s eastern winemaking region of Kakheti as of September 14, which is 33 per cent more year-on-year.
The grape harvest is continuing actively in Georgia’s eastern wine region of Kakheti, where as of today, 133,000 tonnes of grape have already been processed.
Georgian Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili and Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani have hosted foreign diplomats at a grape harvest in Tsinandali, in Georgia’s eastern winemaking Kakheti province.
The Georgian government will subsidise the 2021 grape harvest due to an excess grape yield this season and the post-pandemic situation in order to financially support farmers, announced Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili earlier today. Garibashvili stated that the price of one kilo of the Rkatsiteli wine variety will not be less than 90 tetri, noting that ‘companies will receive an additional 35 tetri from the state.’
Heavy hail and wind hit the Kvareli, Telavi and Gurjaani municipalities in Georgia’s wine region of Kakheti yesterday damaging 4600 ha of vineyards. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated earlier today that the damage is being calculated, noting that ‘none of the victims will be left without the state’s care.’