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- David Songulashvili: “The Harvest Will Be Organized Through Joint Effort – Quality Grapes Must Be Properly Valued”.
David Songulashvili: “The Harvest Will Be Organized Through Joint Effort – Quality Grapes Must Be Properly Valued”.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr. David Songulashvili, and the Chairman of the National Wine Agency, Mr. Levan Mekhuzla, held a meeting with the representatives of wine and alcoholic beverage production companies.
During the meeting, the Minister focused on the strategic importance of Georgia’s winemaking and viticulture sectors, current challenges, and prospects.
Mr. Songulashvili emphasized the need for a well-organized harvest in 2025.
“As you know, wine and alcoholic beverages are among Georgia’s key export products. We must respond appropriately to the current global challenges, including the decline in wine demand. That is why it is vital to engage directly with industry representatives. Moreover, it is essential to improve and strictly control the quality to ensure that Georgian wine remains competitive in the global market. The issues raised by producers will be taken into serious consideration.
We can conduct a well-organized harvest only through close cooperation between the Ministry, the National Wine Agency, and winemakers. Ultimately, we need to plan and take proactive measures from the very beginning to ensure that high-quality grapes are properly valued. A collaborative approach between the public and private sectors is crucial in this regard,” added Mr. Songulashvili.
The Chairman of the National Wine Agency, Mr Levan Mekhuzla, noted that the state is adopting a different approach this year and will no longer accept grapes of both high and low quality at the same price.
“To strengthen the position of Georgian wine in international markets, we must focus on quality. Wine is born in the vineyard, and the quality of the grapes is crucial when presenting Georgian wine globally. It is essential to appreciate quality grapes; therefore, there will be a differentiated pricing system based on grape quality this year,” stated Mr. Mekhuzla.
The conversation touched upon the novelty introduced during the 2025 harvest, stating that an electronic scale will be used for measuring and recording the harvest. All companies purchasing grapes from growers will be required to use electronic scales connected to a unified digital harvest database.
The quantity of grapes purchased by each company will be automatically recorded in this system. This new process will simplify data collection and significantly improve accuracy.
Representatives of about 50 wine-producing companies attended the meeting at the National Wine Agency.