The Georgian wine industry had a couple of very good years in 2013 and 2014, following the opening of the Russian market. Exports skyrocketed, prices of grapes followed suit. For all the talk about diversification, within just two years, Russia’s share in the total exports of Georgian wine shot up from 0 to almost 68%.

Project aims to study the best international practices of food security data collection mechanisms and map and analyze the existing mechanisms in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in terms of food security data collection. ISET-PI team is expected to compare national data collection mechanisms with international practices, identify key gaps and challenges in measuring FS and provide specific recommendations for FS data collection in three countries.

Food prices in the largest supermarkets of Georgia have been on decline over the last couple of months. Prices started adjusting downwards in July 2015 and the trend persisted in September. According to ISET Policy Institute’s Retail Food Price Index (Retail FPI) in September 2015, prices were 1% lower compared to August 2015.

On August 20, 2015, a strong hailstorm hit Georgia, devastating crops and infrastructure in eastern Kakheti. In Kvareli alone, the hailstorm destroyed about 1,300ha of Saperavi and 1,000ha of Rkatsiteli grapes, affecting more than 500 families. This was only one in a string of natural disasters striking Georgian farmers in recent years.

On the 21st of September, Salome Gelashvili, senior researcher at APRC, attended a workshop on the topic of “Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) of the M4P and Value Chain Projects supported by SDC in the South Caucasus” organized by the Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus.