The results of monopoly- meat price increases

The price of meat in Georgia has increased dramatically in recent months and has practically doubled to match the prices found in EU countries. Many analysts think that this is the result of the steps carried out by the ruling administration to create new monopolies. The Ministry of Agriculture took the decision to slaughter cattle at centralized places. Following this decision a slaughterhouse was built in Natakhtari, 30 kilometers from Tbilisi under the name Ibermeat Georgia, which has started providing Tbilisi butchers with meat. The farmers involved in this industry say that when they were governing the situation, the meat price was around GEL 10, but today it has reached GEL 20. As an alternative to fresh meat there has now appeared a demand for frozen, imported meat, which presumably is of lower quality. Ibermeat is planning to open its branches in different regions of Georgia, thus, the meat price in the country will become the same as in the world's developed countries despite the fact that salaries in Georgia are much lower.