Coordination Headquarters for Grape Harvest 2017 Opened in Telavi

The Coordination Headquarters for the Grape Harvest 2017 has been opened in Telavi Municipality in Georgia’s winemaking region of Kakheti.

The opening ceremony was attended by the deputy ministers of Agriculture of Georgia, Yuri Nozadze and Revaz Asatiani, the Head of the National Wine Agency, Giorgi Samanishvili, Kakheti Governor Irakli Kadagishvili, and representatives of municipalities and wine companies.

The Agriculture Ministry has announced it expects Georgia to have a good grape harvest this year. The harvest will begin from September in Georgia’s winemaking regions Kakheti, Imereti and Racha and it is estimated that around 150,000 tons of grapes will be picked in total throughout Georgia.

Last year, in order to promote grape growing, the government issued subsidies on Rkatsiteli, Saperavi and Kakhetian Green grapes. However, this year the government decided not to subsidize grapes in the Kakheti region.

“Taking into consideration the current conjuncture of the wine industry, there is no need to issue a subsidy on the grapes in Kakheti region this year. In recent years, the stable wine export has increased the interest of the private sector in buying grapes. This year, winegrowers will not have problems with the delivery of grapes,” Deputy Agriculture Minister Yuri Nozadze stated.

The Coordination Headquarters is led by Giorgi Samanishvili. “Due to the governmental decree on ‘Harvest 2017 Supporting Measures,’ wine companies that purchase 1 kg of grapes for the production of brandy spirit and concentrated grape sweet for 0.70 Tetri will receive compensation of 0.35 Tetri from the State,” Samanishvili said.

“Within the frame of Harvest 2017, grapes will be delivered to around 100 wine factories, 10 of which have already registered at the Harvest Coordination Headquarters,” he added.

The Georgian Wine Agency reports that special areas will be organized in self-governing towns for grape works.

“Hotline 1501 will work 25/7. Information on the grape harvest process will be placed on the websites of the National Wine Agency: www.georgianwine.gov.ge and www.rtveli2017.gov.ge,” the statement of the Agency reads.

The Agency noted that in 2016, 49.84 million bottles of wine were exported from Georgia, a growth amounting to 38 percent. In January-July 2017, 38.3 million bottles of wine were exported, 60 percent more than during the same period in 2016.

“We expect a plentiful grape harvest this year despite complicated climate conditions,” said Georgia’s Agriculture Minister, Levan Davitashvili.

Thea Morrison