Beef prices in Georgia remain elevated, with retail prices ranging between GEL 35 and GEL 40 per kilogram, according to Bidzina Gonashvili, founder of meat producer Tserti. He also expects prices to rise by GEL 1.5–3 per kilogram during the summer months.
Gonashvili argues that the government could help stabilize prices by introducing a preferential tax regime for imported cattle, such as a reduced VAT rate. He says rising global costs, including higher fuel prices, labor expenses, and supply shortages, have contributed to increased meat prices.
At the same time, he acknowledges that lower taxes on imports could put pressure on local producers by reducing market prices, making it necessary to find a balanced approach.
Nargiz Zibzibadze, adviser to an agro-industrial group, supports temporary tax incentives for imported livestock, arguing that such a measure could help offset domestic supply shortages and bring greater stability to Georgia’s meat market until local production expands.
