Aleksander Ratishvili, director of bakery and confectionery producer MBC Georgia, says that stabilizing food prices in Georgia is impossible without a strong policy focus on developing local production. Speaking to BMG in response to the parliamentary Price Commission’s report, he argued that many of the recommendations are vague and fail to prioritize the core problem: Georgia’s heavy dependence on imported goods.
Ratishvili noted that the commission’s most important recommendation - support for domestic production - was placed under long-term objectives, which he considers a serious mistake. He stressed that meaningful progress requires immediate planning and implementation of deep, structural reforms in both industrial and agricultural sectors. Without this, he said, Georgia will remain import-dependent, leaving the country with no control over the external factors that shape final prices, from production costs abroad to logistics expenses.
He also pointed out that even local producers rely on imported ingredients for up to 99% of their inputs, making the systemic problem impossible to resolve without a comprehensive state strategy. While he supports the creation of institutional mechanisms recommended by the commission, Ratishvili emphasized that this must not be misunderstood as government price controls, which he called “absolute absurdity.” Instead, he said, the government should focus on areas within its control - tax policy, customs tariffs, investment climate, and access to finance.
Ratishvili concluded that unless these structural issues are addressed with professional, qualified policymaking, any commission reports or retailer price-cut initiatives will remain cosmetic measures. “Without systemic reforms, every conclusion from every commission will be pointless - it will stay just words on paper,” he said.
