“Georgia is bracing for an unprecedented grape harvest during the 2026 Rtveli, with yield forecasts projected to exceed 320,000 tonnes, marking one of the highest figures in the history of independent Georgia,’ the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture announced.

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture highlighted that 2026 has proven to be an exceptional year for agricultural yields, not only in viticulture and winemaking but across the wider farming sector.

“This year’s Rtveli will be unprecedented in terms of harvest volume. Preliminary forecasts suggest the yield will top 320,000 tonnes, which will likely mark the largest grape harvest in modern Georgian history.

Unfavourable weather conditions presented certain operational hurdles; heavy rainfall made it difficult in some cases for vines to reach optimal sugar content, requiring us to delay picking slightly. However, the harvest is now steadily entering its peak phase, and we are confident in managing these challenges effectively,” Davit Songhulashvili stated.

The Minister emphasised that given the scale of the harvest, the priority extends beyond merely processing the grapes to implementing strict quality grading to ensure successful commercial sales.

“When dealing with a harvest of this magnitude, and given that wine and grape spirits are our primary agricultural exports, ensuring the full crop is properly processed and stored is essential. At the same time, quality grading must be enforced wherever feasible, because the harvest must be sold effectively on the market after being collected.

Given current conditions on the global market, the trade environment for wine and spirits remains challenging. It is therefore vital that we manage the crop strictly by quality grade to prevent storage and market bottlenecks in subsequent years,” Songhulashvili added.