Meat prices in Georgia remain high, largely due to limited local production and strong dependence on imports. According to Beka Gonashvili, founder of AgroKiziki, Georgia is unable to meet domestic demand for both pork and beef, which makes the market heavily reliant on foreign suppliers and ultimately drives up consumer prices.
Gonashvili notes that the situation with pork is particularly acute, as only two farms currently produce piglets in Georgia. Their efficiency and output remain questionable, forcing the country to import 15,000–20,000 head of live pigs from Russia every month, not including frozen products. “We simply cannot produce enough, that’s the core issue,” he says.
A similar problem exists with beef. Significant volumes of live cattle are exported from Georgia, while a large number of calves are imported back for fattening. This leaves the local market short of raw material, increasing dependence on imports from Russia and Belarus. Although locally produced beef is exempt from VAT, imported meat is taxed at 18%, which also raises retail prices.
Gonashvili adds that inefficiencies in the supply chain further complicate pricing. Small-scale farmers produce too little to attract major retail chains directly, leading to reliance on intermediaries who aggregate and resell the meat. “This structure also influences final prices, but the core problem remains production,” he emphasizes.
Notably, Georgia’s imports of live pigs became significantly more expensive in 2025. In 11 months, the country imported 19,955 tons worth $36.9 million, compared to 19,159 tons worth $29.3 million in the same period last year.
