Former head of the National Wine Agency Vasil Managadze said Kakheti farmers protested this year because they felt grape purchase prices were unfair relative to actual market conditions. He discussed the 2026 grape harvest on TV-program Analytics.
The government revised grape purchase prices on September 22 following protests by growers in Kvareli. Under the updated system, Rkatsiteli with 16–19% sugar content is priced at GEL 0.90 per kilogram, while Saperavi with 16–20% is priced at GEL 1. Grapes below 16% sugar content are priced at GEL 0.50, while hybrid varieties receive GEL 0.30. Previously, grapes with sugar content below 17% were purchased for GEL 0.30.
Managadze said the absence of effective quality control is one of the sector’s main challenges. He argued that the current pricing and quality assessment system does not provide sufficient mechanisms for farmers to challenge assessments or dispute prices with wineries.
He also criticized the sector’s broader policy environment, saying the industry has become heavily dependent on the Russian market and that quality control has weakened. Managadze argued that the National Wine Agency should ensure that wine produced for both domestic consumption and export meets appropriate quality standards, particularly as Georgia’s wine exports increasingly include lower-priced semi-sweet products.
