Zurab Maisashvili, founder of Georgian winery Gvinuka, says the government's decision to set grape prices based on sugar content during the 2026 harvest is a more effective approach than previous subsidy models. However, he believes many grape growers in Kakheti still do not fully understand the new rules.
According to Maisashvili, insufficient awareness could lead to farmers delivering grapes at prices significantly lower than they expect, once their harvest is assessed under the new quality criteria. He noted that authorities may even need to postpone or adjust the changes if implementation challenges arise.
He added that the new system should encourage growers to focus on producing higher-quality, higher-sugar-content grapes. However, if large volumes of low-quality grapes are still harvested, the effectiveness of the reform could be questioned.
Under the new harvest framework, the state will apply three different pricing categories for Rkatsiteli and Saperavi grapes, with purchase prices determined by sugar content levels.
