Just like every Georgian family, ISET Policy Institute is preparing for the New Year, and we keep to our traditions and have cooked up a New Year Supra Index for our readers. The Index shows the cost of a standard festive supra meal for a family of five to six people in every Georgian region. The traditional dishes included in our calculations are: mtsvadi, satsivi (chicken in walnut sauce), khachapuri, trout, tabaka (fried) chicken, olivie salad, pkhali, cucumber&tomato salad, and for the desert, fruit and gozinaki (caramelized walnuts fried in honey).

As shown in the following graph, compared to last year, the price of a New Year supra has risen in every region. The average cost of this New Year’s supra in Georgia is 161.10 GEL in December 2019, which is 7.8% higher compared to the same period last year (December 2018).

The Index sees the lowest value in Guria (156.9 GEL) and the highest in Shida Kartli (169.7 GEL). The biggest increase is also found in Shida Kartli, where this December’s average cost for a New Year supra, 169.7 GEL, is 19.4% higher than last year. This is, partially, because the 2018 prices were the lowest in Shida Kartli.

In December 2019, almost all food products have become more expensive compared to the same period of last year (December 2018). The biggest contributors to the increase in prices were: cheese, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, pork, trout, and milk. The price of cheese is up by 20%, potatoes by 22%, cucumbers by 15%, carrots by 15%, pork by 18%, and trout by 6%. The only products to have decreased in price are eggs and eggplants, by 10% and 2%, respectively.

Walnuts are the most important and expensive ingredient in the New Year supra. At this time of year, walnut prices vary from 20.50-23.27 GEL per kg.

ISET Policy Institute wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!