According to preliminary estimates, Georgian economic growth declined from 7.2% to 5.2% between July and August 2014. Although the August estimate is still quite high, there is increasing concern that the national economy is set to slow down in the second half of the year.
In September 2014, the cost of cooking one Imeretian khachapuri gained 3.2% relative to August, reaching 3.35 GEL. Importantly, Khachapuri Index added much more than 13.7% in annual terms, suggesting that Georgia is beginning to experience inflation, at least as far as food prices are concerned.
After the great success in preparing and delivering the Young Bankers training program for ProCredit Bank Georgia, a new training program for senior bank staff was developed and conducted in Tbilisi and Batumi in 2012. Three different groups participated in the program. These three groups consisted of employees from two departments - The Medium Loans Assessment Department and Corporate Client Service Department. In this particular program, four modules were incorporated: General Microeconomics; General Macroeconomics; Banking and Data Analysis
Winemaking is one of the oldest Georgian traditions that have survived to this day. Archaeologists have proved that the history of Georgian wine production reaches back into the past at least 8000 years. Arguably, this makes Georgia the earliest place on earth where wine was produced. And the tradition is alive – today there are not just big wine firms, but it is common among ordinary Georgians to grow grapes and produce their own, homemade wine.
The ISET Khachapuri Index continued moving along its upward seasonal trend, reaching 3.35 GEL in September 2014. This is 3.2% higher compared to August 2014 (m/m) and 13.7% higher compared to September 2013 (y/y). Such a sharp increase in prices was not unique to Khachapuri ingredients, however. As reported by GeoStat, the general Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) in September 2014 reached 1.2% in monthly terms and, what is more alarming, 4.8% relative to September of last year (y/y).