Otar Shamugia the Georgian Minister of Agriculture and Environment Protection recently visited Akura village. The minister during her visit assessed the grape processing and handling for winemaking there.
During his visit the Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture, Otar Shamugia was accompanied by Giorgi Aladashvili, the representative of the Kakheti region. Akura village fall in the area of Telavi municipality. The state enterprise Harvest Management Company LLC processing grapes here.
The Minister at the site also shared his views about the processing. As per the Minister “There are two reasons for the state’s active involvement in the Saperavi grape variety – one is the abundant harvest and the other is the climatic conditions, due to which the growers are trying to sell the grapes as quickly as possible.”
Moreover the minister also added that “the growers should be given the opportunity to deliver the grapes on time after harvesting. That is why the state needed to receive grapes from different locations and pay the appropriate amount to the winegrowers.”
It should be noted that during the current year’s harvest season of grasses the amount of processed saferavi quality exceeds the indicator of the same period last year by 2 times. So considering the excess harvest and climatic conditions, Saperavi grapes need timely storage so that the quality does not deteriorate.
According to the government’s decision “Harvest Management Company” Ltd. has begun to get 1 kg of grapes of the Saperavi variety for 1.50 GEL from the vineyard farmers. At the same time the government of Georgia will compensate the growers who have received grapes of the Saferavi variety for less than 1.5 GEL.”
Growers appreciate the decision and noted that it will certainly benefit them. “The fact that it will be possible to sell grapes of the Saperavi variety for 1.50 GEL once again proves that the government is constantly taking care of the industry’s development,” said Giorgi Aladashvili.
Notably together with the minister Irakli Kadagishvili the majoritarian representative of Telavi, Akhmet, Kvarli, and Lagodekhi, Gela Samkharauli and the chairman of the Agrarian Affairs Committee of the Parliament, Levan Mekhuzla the chairman of the National Wine Agency also visited the grape harvesting facility.
