MUMBAI: Despite severe opposition for allowing wine to sale in supermarkets and shelves in shops, Maharashtra government has decided to go ahead with this decision due to its reported benefits for horticulture farmers and the wine industry in the long term.
According to a senior official, the state government will issue the guidelines for the sale in a cabinet meeting to be held on Wednesday. “This decision of allowing wine to sell in supermarket and shelves in shops will boost the wine industry particularly in the Nasik region, which is an emerging wine destination. Maharashtra produces nearly 70 per cent of India’s wine therefore they need to have immediate marker. And, wine more and more becoming welcomed in family settings as well. We have to evolve with time,” the official said, on request of anonymity.
Defending the decision, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that wine is not liquor. “In many countries, wine has been pursued a family drink. Taking wine in small quantitiesis good for health as per experts. Maharashtra is a progressive state and always takes decisions that benefits farmers and industries,” Ajit Pawar said.
Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that people particularly in the opposition should not blow this farmer and industry friendly decision out of proportion. He said those who do not want to drink will not buy it and those want to drink they anyhow buy from anywhere. Jagdish Holkar, president of All India Wine processing industry said that in Europe most wineries are owned by small farmers. “If they have excessive wine then they sell to big buyers and suppliers. Much of the processed wine produced by these farmers are sold at their own farms,” he said.