National Wine Agency adjusts grape procurement prices following government consultations

Grape procurement prices for this year’s harvest have been revised following consultations between the Georgian Government, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Davit Songhulashvili, and the National Wine Agency.

Levan Mekhuzla, Chairman of the National Wine Agency, announced the revised pricing structure during a press briefing at the Grape Harvest [Rtveli] Coordination Headquarters in Gurjaani.

“Taking into account this year’s heavy rainfall, which made it difficult for grapes to reach optimal sugar concentration levels, new prices will be applied according to sugar content,” Mekhuzla stated.

Under the revised framework, procurement rates have been categorised as follows:

High-grade grapes:
Saperavi (20° sugar content and above): 1.50 GEL per kilogram
Rkatsiteli and other varieties (19° sugar content and above): 1.30 GEL per kilogram
Lower-grade grapes:
Saperavi (16° to 20° sugar content): 1.00 GEL per kilogram
Rkatsiteli and other varieties (16° to 19° sugar content): 0.90 GEL per kilogram

“Grapes with a sugar content below 16° are deemed non-standard and unsuitable for either wine or spirits production; essentially unripe grapes. As is well known, the state’s stance is that not a single kilogram of grapes will be left uncollected. Consequently, we are making an exception in this instance so that viticulturists can cover their operational costs. The price for this category will be 0.50 GEL, while hybrid varieties will be priced at 0.30 GEL,” Mekhuzla explained.

The Chairman added that farmers who have already delivered their harvest under the previous rate structure will have their payments recalculated at the new prices, with the difference compensated in full.