2020-07-09
The state will subsidize the 2020 vintage to support viticulture and viniculture amid the pandemic.
On the Government's decision, vineyard-keepers will receive no less than 0.8 GEL per kilo of Rkatsiteli and Kakhuri Mtsvane.
Subsidies will be issued to companies purchasing and processing at least 1,000 tons of Rkatsiteli or Kakhuri Mtsvane variety of grapes during the 2020 vintage and paying no less than 0.8 GEL per kilo to sellers.
In return for buying each kilo of grapes, wine companies will receive the following subsidies: 0.3 GEL per 1 kilo of Rkatsiteli and 0.3 GEL per 1 kilo of Kakhuri Mtsvane, to which end 40 million GEL will be allocated from the budget.
In case of a lack of demand on grapes from wine companies, state-run Akura JSC will engage in the process of purchasing and processing grapes.
To ensure the orderly completion of the 2020 vintage, a vintage coordination command will be established, and spaces will be allocated in self-governing city to promote grape sales.
Under the circumstances, to ensure access to financial resources for vineyard-keepers and winemakers, a number of changes have been made under the State Program for Affordable Agricultural Credit; in addition, the sector's support is ensured by the State Program for Promoting Agricultural Cooperatives.
The National Wine Agency will support smaller wineries in using new online platforms in strategic markets.
The National Wine Agency will be responsible for sending wine samples to international markets.
As a result of the state's effective viticulture/viniculture policy, vintages in the past two years required no assistance in the form of subsidies.
Said effective policy has empowered the sector tremendously, with new vineyards planted, new enterprises emerging, the quality of wine improving, and the scope of export markets expanding. Also, 2019 was a record-breaking year for wine export, with the systems of agricultural loans and insurance up and running.
An effective system for well-organized vintage activities has been operating since 2013.