Agriculture Minister: Government waives certification fees for boutique wineries to boost domestic producers

Boutique wineries will be exempt from service fees for certificates of conformity on alcoholic beverages produced for the domestic market. The regulatory adjustment will take effect once it receives formal procedural approval.

In an interview on the GPB First Channel programme Business Partner, Environmental Protection and Agriculture Minister Davit Songhulashvili explained that the decision to abolish certification charges for small wineries followed direct talks with industry figures.

“Supporting small wineries remains a key priority for us. As a result of these talks with producers, we have addressed their operational difficulties and decided to exempt small wineries from certification fees. However, certification will still be compulsory, because guaranteeing product quality and consumer safety is our top priority. We believe this approach will foster the growth of small wineries, further elevate the quality of Georgian wine, and bolster its market competitiveness,” Davit Songhulashvili stated.

Certification remains compulsory for all domestically produced alcoholic beverages intended for commercial sale within Georgia. While service charges for issuing certificates of conformity were introduced on 1 September, small-scale wineries will receive these services free of charge. Even so, compliance rules still apply. Small producers must still undergo standard testing and obtain the required documentation for their products.

“Every policy decision we enact regarding viticulture and winemaking serves a single purpose: to ensure Georgian wine maintains exceptional quality, remains highly competitive, and consolidates an even stronger footprint across international markets,” Songhulashvili added.