Giorgi Piradashvili, co-owner of Chateau Mere Wines, says Russia’s large consumer market remains one of the country’s main tools of economic influence and warned that any restrictions on Georgian exports would be a significant challenge for major wine producers.
Speaking on BMGTV’s program Tsertili, Piradashvili commented on reports by businessman Mamuka Pipia that a growing list of Georgian companies could face export bans in Russia. According to Pipia, the restrictions may be introduced this year and could target businesses allegedly involved in financing anti-Russian activities in Georgia.
Piradashvili said his company exports relatively small volumes to Russia—between 5,000 and 10,000 bottles annually through a partner focused on the HoReCa segment—but noted that a market closure would have a much greater impact on large producers and exporters that rely heavily on Russian demand.
He argued that the Georgian wine industry should continue expanding into alternative markets, including the United States, Western and Eastern Europe. “Russia has always been a large but highly risky and unreliable market,” Piradashvili said, adding that Georgian producers should focus their resources on developing more stable export destinations. He also noted that he had not previously heard information about a potential list of companies facing restrictions.
