|
|
2,6 |
3,2 |
4,4 |
20,1 |
20,8 |
18,9 |
|
|
|
% of Foreign Investments |
6,1 |
3,7 |
2,4 |
5,3 |
12,3 |
15,9 |
|
Source: Investment activities in Georgia, State Statistic Department, 1999
Most Exportable Agricultural Products.
Georgian Wines. Georgia is known as the birthplace of viticulture and winemaking and has 5000 years of wine culture. The rich land, hot sun and hard work have developed about 500 varieties of wine in Georgia.
According to the State Department of Statistics exports of different types of Georgian wine during first nine month of the 2001 made up 18186,5 thousand USD which is 7,8 percent of the total Georgian exports.
At the end of the 20th century, the collapse of the Soviet Union has caused an economic decline in Georgia, which negatively affected the Georgian wine sector. To be more precise – the overall territory of vineyards has decreased by 50%, (1990 – 112,6 thousand hectares, 2000y – 60,5 thousand hectares). This tendency was mainly caused by the following reasons: lack of enough funds among farmers to purchase chemicals, technical devices and machines for vine cultivation, also huge numbers of farmers had to convert their vineyards into land to grow edible products such as corn, vegetables, and grain.
In addition, from the mid 1990s the tendency of vineyard rehabilitation has been quite dynamic, still the total area of vineyards is far less than it was even 20 years ago.
Table # 1 Tendency of wine sector development for the last ten years
Sector
Measure
1981-85 average per year
1986-90 average per year
1990
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
Total area of vineyards
(1000)
Hectares
137,4
116,1
112,6
94,2
94,0
72,0
70,0
60,1
60,5
61,5
Production of grape
(1000)
Tones
768,0
712,0
691,0
160,0
342,0
370,0
370,0
219,0
210,0
170,0
Grape
Processing
(1000)
Tones
564,3
422,5
433,5
38,0
60,0
46,0
23,5
29,5
34,4
19,1
Production of wine materials
(1000)
decaliters
21969,0
14997,0
16283
3670
2223
3121,6
2303,8
1859,2
1816
1900
Production of champagne and sparkling wines
(1000) decalitres
1375,7
1526
1451
49,2
94,6
75,6
40,3
64,7
87,9
88,35
Production of Brandy
(10000 decaliters
1563
1865
2165
158
135
82.,3
37,8
30,4
70,6
71,0
Production of the liqueur
(10000decaliters)
937.0
523,0
822
103
132
251
112,7
473,0
430,0
569,0
Source: Samtrest, Ministry of Agriculture.2002
Even though the Georgian wine sector is famous for its 500 traditional grape varieties, the vast majority is currently grown and available only in limited areas and numbers. Traditionally in accordance with climate and soil characteristics – Georgia is divided into 5 main wine producing regions. Kakheti, Kartli, Imereti, Racha-lechkhumi and the Black Sea Subtropical zone.
In accordance with the development and strength of the wine sector Kakheti could be easily considered as the leader. The region is characterized by huge variety of grapes and assortment of wine.
From the structural point of view, 80% of Georgian vineyards is allocated to white grapes: Rkaciteli amounts to almost 75% of all white wines and the remaining 25% is allocated to Cicka, Colikauri, Mcvane, and Tetra. The dominant type in red grapes is presented by Saperavi which holds 70%. The remaining 30% is allocated to the following red grapes: Aleksandriuli, Mijuretuli, Ojaleshi, and Vaios Saperavi.
Table # 2 below indicates the total area by regions (1000 hectares) as of year 2001.
Region
State Vineyards
Private Vineyards
Total
Kakheti
1,35
43,73
45,08 (~ 75%)
Kartli
0,18
5,83
6,01 (~10%)
West Georgia
0,27
8,74
9,01 (~15%)
Total
1,8
58,3
60,1 (100%)
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, 2002
Table #3 below indicates the information on main types of Georgian grape, as of 2001
Species of grapes
Colour
Regions of prevalent
Sugar content (%)
General acidity (%)
Yield of Grapewine (kg)
Aladasturi
Red
Chokhatauri, Vani, Bagdadi
19,5-20,0
8,8-9,2
2,0-2,5
Aleksandreuli
Red
Ambrolauri, Tsageri, Oni
22.0-23,0
7,0-7,5
1,5-2,0
Chkaveri
Red
Chokhatauri, Ozurgeti
19,5-21,0
8,1-9,6
1,8-2,0
Mtsvane
White
Telavi,Sagarejo, Akhmeta
21,5-22,0
9,5-10,0
1,5-2,0
Ojaleshi
Red
Martvili, Tsageri
21.0-22,0
9,0-9,5
1,4-1,6
Rkatsiteli
White
Kakheti
19,0-20,-
6,0-6,5
1,4-1,5
Saperavi
Red
Kakheti
20,0-22,0
7,0-8,5
1,5-1,7
Tetra
White
Ambrolauri
20,0-22,0
7,5-8,5
1,5-1,7
Tsitska
White
Imereti, Lanchkhuti
18,5-20,5
8,5-10,0
1,5-2,0
Tsolikauri
White
Imereti
19,0-21,5
9,0-10,5
1,5-2,0
Usakhelauri
White
Tsageri
19,0-21,0
7,5-9,0
1,4-1,8
Vaios Saperavi
Red
Keda
20,0-20,5
8,5-9,0
2,4-2,8
Source: Samtrest, Ministry of Agriculture, 2002
Today the production of two main types of grapes per hectare of land is the Rkaciteli – 7.0-8.0 tons, and the Saperavi – 5.0-6.0. These numbers are can increase by 25-35 % under normal working conditions and with all necessary tools and machinery readily available.
By taking into consideration the fact that during the grape processing period the market price for one kilogram of white grape ranges from $0,10 to $0,20, which is slightly above of its base price, then accordingly it could be forecasted that in the case of an increase in the volume of grapes the price per kilo will drop and the farmer’s revenue will increase, thus creating the ability for the farmer to procure some necessary tools, chemicals and machinery and increase the volume of his grapes for the next season. This could lead to the rehabilitation and positive redevelopment of the whole Georgian wine sector, though it should be mentioned that this positive tendency will not be implemented without sophisticated grape processing factories and new export markets.
In Table #1 it is clearly indicated that during the first part of last decade of the 20th century there was a huge drop in the volume of processed grape. This was mainly caused by the following reasons: Weak economic condition of the country, loss of traditional Russian market and huge amount of fake vintage Georgian wines, both in the Georgian and Russian markets. It should be mentioned that during the same period both farmers and wine factories had huge amounts of grapes in their warehouses, which did not find its path towards wine, simply because of the aspects mentioned above. And this is happening in Georgia – a country, which during the Soviet period was producing 55% of the total vintage wines and more than 25% of brandy in the USSR.
Despite all the negative factors mentioned above, in the second part of last decade of the 20th century developmental steps ahead were made in the Georgian wine sector, which on its behalf has led to the participation of foreign investors in the sector. The positive aspects were mainly caused by the fact that a new generation businessmen have acquired western knowledge of management and marketing, the consumer’s nostalgia for Georgian wines, and the government’s support. Lately, the participation of foreign companies is getting clearly noticeable – both in the fields of wine-making and in establishing new vineyards.
As a result, the number of local Georgian wine-making companies could be easily outlined in accordance with their financial strength, good marketing campaign, progressive management and export volume. These companies are: GWS (Georgian wines and spirits), “Telavi wine cellar”, “Akhasheni”, “Tbilwine” “Vaziani”, “Kinzmarauli”, “David Sarajishvili and Eniseli”, “Okami”, “Teliani Veli”, “Rachuli Gvino” and “Zmebi askaneli”.
Mineral and Spring Waters. According to the State Department of Statistics exports of different types of Georgian mineral waters during the first nine months of 2001 made up 6646,9 thousand USD which is 2.8 percent of the total Georgian exports.
One of the biggest assets – essential for the resort development in the country is represented by mineral waters. In Georgia almost all kinds of mineral water can be found, with more than 2,000 mineral springs, out of which 1700 are natural phenomena and 300 are boreholes. Their estimated total yield per day is 120 million liters. The most common kind is a carbonic acid mineral water, the daily yield of which amounts to approximately 60 million liters.
[19][1]Structural geologic and hydrochemical properties of the so-called geotechtonic zones account for the distribution of various kinds of mineral waters in Georgia. For instance, within the limits of the Main Range and the Southern slope of the Greater Caucasus – cold, mostly carbonic and hydrocarbonated waters predominate. On Georgian Block the typical water includes cold as well as thermal sulphide-methane and nitric-methane, chloride and sulphate. Within the Adjara –Trialeti system and the adjoining Somkhiti Block the following kinds of water predominate: carbonic acid hydrocarbonated or chloride-hydrocarbonated as well as weak sulphide nitric, sulphate-chloride or carbonate-bicarbonate.
Georgia has large reserves of thermal water of various chemical compositions. The territory occupied by Georgian Block and Adjara Trialeti System is especially rich in them. Thermal radioactive (Radonic) mineral waters are the main natural curative factors of the Tskaltubo and Tkvarcheli Resorts. So-called hyperthermal waters, forming a class by themselves are extracted from the earth’s deep levels by boring. The main pools of these waters are: Tsaishi (Temp 81-82 C), Kvaloni (Temp 94 C), Kindghi (103 C), Khorga (Temp 110 C). Hyperthermal waters are mostly used for heating purposes.
Drinkable mineral waters are used for health-restoration not only at resorts, but also outside them in the form of bottled mineral waters. Such as Borjomi, Nabeglavi, Sairme, Ucera, Djava, and Zvare.
Borjomi Mineral Water. The Borjomi resort is considered as one of the most spectacular locations in Georgia. It is located at 950 meters above sea level between the evergreen slopes of the Meskheti and Trialeti Ridges.
Besides its beautiful nature and climate, the Borjomi region is famous for its mineral waters, which represent the other major natural curative factor of this place. Instead of natural springs known since older times, gusher-boreholes are being used at present.
In terms of chemical composition the mineral waters are of acidulous, hydrocarbonate, sodium variety, containing 0.5 to 1.5 g/l of free carbon dioxide. They also contain ions of chlorine and small amounts of bromine, lithium, barium and some other substances. Temperature of the water in various springs ranges from +17 to 38 C. There are ten capped boreholes at the resort wit a total yield of 700-800 thousand liters.
Mineral waters are mainly used as a curative drink, for medical baths, inhalation, and levage of stomach and intestine. They are used as a curative and table drink outside the resort.
Borjomi mineral water is the most popular mineral water available in the CIS. In the 1980s exports reached over 420 million bottles per year. However Borjomi production and sales declined significantly between 1990-1995 due to the economic collapse in the former Soviet Union
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