In partnership with PMC Research, ISET Policy Institute is working on the project “Sector and Value Chain Analytics” under the USAID Economic Security Program, implemented by DAI. Using quantitative and qualitative analytical methods, the project team analyzes economic tendencies in the local and also regional/global context, competitiveness of local businesses, opportunities, and challenges in various targeted value chains.

The National Statistics Office of Georgia (GeoStat) recently published its economic review for Quarter II 2020. The publication highlights that agricultural production increased by 4.7% in the second quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2019. Furthermore, agriculture contributed to 10.2% of the country’s total GDP during the same period.

Many of us well-remember the cold winter of 2006 when the Russian Federation cut its natural gas supply to Georgia. In general, it is clear that diversification in energy import markets reduces the risk of socio-economic shocks following political tensions with other countries. Fortunately, Georgia managed to find an alternative to the Russian supply and started importing gas from Azerbaijan. This blog will review the current gas import situation and discuss the expected trends in natural gas supply security.

In September 2020, the average cost of cooking one standard portion of Imeretian khachapuri was 4.09 GEL, which is 2.8% higher month-on-month (compared to August 2020), and 11.7% higher year-on-year (compared to the same month of the previous year, September 2019).

The Law of Georgia on Energy and Water Supply, adopted in December 2019, envisages certain general provisions concerning vulnerable customers. The Law states that the Georgian government and local government bodies, in consultation with other interested parties, shall develop special programs/measures/benefits to ensure the supply of electricity and natural gas for vulnerable customers.