Over the past few years, food prices have been increasing and Georgia has been facing food price inflation in the double digits. This is primarily due to international market trends that reflect concerns over decreased production, increased crude oil prices, as well as COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine increased pressure on international food markets already struggling with soaring prices.

On March 14, the ISET Policy Institute organized a roundtable discussion on Food Prices, Price Controls, and their Potential Impact on Georgia’s Economy. The event was attended by experts from local and international institutions who shared their views and exchanged ideas on proposed policy solutions.

In February 2023, the average cost of cooking one standard portion of Imeretian khachapuri stood at 6.94 GEL. This latest average price is 18.4% higher than in February 2022. While in month-to-month developments, the price of a khachapuri increased marginally by 0.1% compared to the previous month of January 2023.

In January 2023, Georgian power plants generated 1,111 mln. kWh of electricity. This represents an 8% increase in the total generation compared to the previous year (in January 2022, the total generation was 1,025 mln. kWh).

The OECD, in partnership with the ITF, is set to conduct an analytical study focusing on Türkiye, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan—the key countries of the Middle Corridor. The study aims to pinpoint bottlenecks and reform requirements related to infrastructure, trade facilitation, and political support.