The average cost of cooking one standard Imeretian Khachapuri in November 2016 stood at 3.46 GEL, which is 1.9% higher month-on-month (compared to October 2016). The upward trend in the Index at this time of the year is expected and largely related to the seasonal increase in the price of cheese. Reasons for this seasonal price swing can be summed up as follows: supply and demand.

Citizens of Georgia’s capital recently witnessed the luxurious Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi grand opening. A $140 million investment by the Dhabi Group supplied the market with 214 luxury rooms and suites. The $2 million opening, huge building, and central location (right on Rustaveli Avenue) made the appearance of this hotel on the market very noticeable.

In September 2016, the average price of cooking one Imeretian khachapuri stood at 3.43 GEL. Compared to the previous month (August 2016) the Khachapuri Index gained 8.6%. The upward trend in the Index at this time of the year is mostly related to the seasonal increase in the price of cheese (due to the dwindling supply of fresh milk).

Congestion in electricity transmission systems is a common problem all around the world, Georgia included. Two types of congestion are observed in the power sector; physical and economic. Physical congestion occurs when a transmission system is not adequate to supply an increasing amount of electricity. Economic congestion appears when prices in one region are different from those in another region, while cheaper electricity cannot be sold to the region at high prices.

Spring brings happiness in peoples’ lives not only because of the brighter days but also because of the increased supply of many seasonal products. This is reflected in the production cost of Khachapuri. In April 2016, the national average cost of preparing one standard Imeretian khachapuri went down to 3.16 GEL, 3.2% lower compared to March 2016 (but 6.9% higher compared to April 2015).