BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 2
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Government of Georgia is already taking measures to support the winemaking sector in the midst of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Trend reports citing Georgian media.
Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has discussed the damage that the Georgian wine industry has suffered due to the global coronavirus pandemic and due to reduced tourism at a meeting with the industry insiders on June 1.
"In addition to the government’s anti-crisis plan that also supports the wine sector, the government has extended the agro-credit program which now covers the wine industry as well, and will help wineries overcome problems caused by the pandemic," he said.
Gakharia tasked the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia to ensure that farmers do not face any problems regarding grape storage, and that the public and private sectors be well-prepared for the harvest season.
Georgia is preparing for the major grape harvest season during which more than a hundred thousand tonnes of grapes will be picked, packed and sold locally or exported.
Traditionally, the wine harvest begins in September in Georgia’s winemaking regions Kakheti, Imereti and Racha.
The volume of grapes processed during the 2019 harvest in Georgia reached 271,000 tonnes, which was the highest harvest volume over the last 30 years, said Georgian National Wine Agency.
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