Davit Songulashvili: “Only Through Joint Efforts Will the Harvest Be Well-Organized – High-Quality Grapes Must Be Properly Valued”
Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Davit Songulashvili and Chairman of the National Wine Agency Levan Mekhuzla met with representatives of wine and alcoholic beverage producing companies.
At the meeting, the Minister spoke about the importance, current state, and future prospects of Georgia’s viticulture and winemaking sector. He particularly emphasized the importance of organizing the 2025 grape harvest in a structured and coordinated manner.
“As you know, wine and alcoholic beverages are among our main export products. Against the backdrop of today’s global challenges, where demand for wine is decreasing, we must respond adequately. That’s why meetings with industry representatives are especially important. Improving and controlling quality is crucial for Georgian wine to remain competitive on the global market. The issues raised by producers will be taken into account as much as possible. Only through joint efforts between the Ministry, the National Wine Agency, and winemakers will we be able to organize the harvest efficiently. We must be proactive from the start to ensure that high-quality grapes are properly valued. In terms of organization, joint involvement from both the state and the private sector is particularly important,” said Davit Songulashvili.
According to Levan Mekhuzla, Chairman of the National Wine Agency, the government is taking a different approach this year and will no longer purchase high- and low-quality grapes at the same price.
“In order for Georgian wine to succeed and establish itself on international markets, it is essential to focus on quality. Wine is born in the vineyard. The quality of grapes is doubly important when presenting Georgian wine internationally. It is vital to recognize and reward high-quality grapes. Therefore, this year, the prices for high- and low-quality grapes will be differentiated,” said Levan Mekhuzla.
The meeting also addressed a new initiative: during the 2025 harvest, crop registration will be carried out using electronic scales. All companies purchasing grapes from growers will be required to use electronic scales connected to the unified harvest electronic database. The amount of grapes purchased by each company will be automatically recorded in this system. The use of electronic scales will simplify and enhance the accuracy of data collection.
The meeting held at the National Wine Agency was attended by representatives of around 50 wine-producing companies.
