Raise a toast to local wine
Here’s the Maharashtra government’s novel idea to promote grape cultivation in the state - exclusive wine bars.
By Girish Kuber, TNN |
MUMBAI: Here’s the Maharashtra government’s novel idea to promote grape cultivation in the state — exclusive wine bars.
It has issued a notification incorporating major changes in the Bombay Prohibition Act that lays down rules for sale and consumption of all alcoholic beverages. Currently, liquor licences are given only to hotels and restaurants where food is served. But as per the amended rules, wine bars will not have to fulfil any such condition.
“The amendment will permit setting up of wine bars,” a home department spokesperson told ET. The caveat, however, is that these bars can sell wine made only in Maharashtra from grapes grown in the state. “The amendment is aimed at helping local grape cultivators and wineries,” said the official.
Such wine bars will not have the permission to serve any liquor except wine. Under the new policy, any shop can get a licence to open a wine bar for an annual fee of Rs 5,500. But the fee for this in Mumbai will be much higher —
Rs 37,500 — but will be cheaper in the suburbs and other adjoining areas, including Thane and Navi Mumbai. The rules also stipulate that the bars need to have a minimum carpet area of 160 sq ft and should not face the road.
A fledgling wine industry has been lobbying hard for such an arrangement, but the state government was unsure of the political fallout. In the past, the government had to abort its plan after it was criticised for encouraging “wine culture”. On the other hand, the state government went ahead to announce various sops, including excise holiday till 2011 for wine makers. It also unveiled a grape processing industrial policy with incentives like sales tax concessions, simplified processes and procedures, fixed licence fees for 10 years and creation of a wine institute and a grape board for quality control, certification and export promotion.
It has issued a notification incorporating major changes in the Bombay Prohibition Act that lays down rules for sale and consumption of all alcoholic beverages. Currently, liquor licences are given only to hotels and restaurants where food is served. But as per the amended rules, wine bars will not have to fulfil any such condition.
“The amendment will permit setting up of wine bars,” a home department spokesperson told ET. The caveat, however, is that these bars can sell wine made only in Maharashtra from grapes grown in the state. “The amendment is aimed at helping local grape cultivators and wineries,” said the official.
Such wine bars will not have the permission to serve any liquor except wine. Under the new policy, any shop can get a licence to open a wine bar for an annual fee of Rs 5,500. But the fee for this in Mumbai will be much higher —
Rs 37,500 — but will be cheaper in the suburbs and other adjoining areas, including Thane and Navi Mumbai. The rules also stipulate that the bars need to have a minimum carpet area of 160 sq ft and should not face the road.
A fledgling wine industry has been lobbying hard for such an arrangement, but the state government was unsure of the political fallout. In the past, the government had to abort its plan after it was criticised for encouraging “wine culture”. On the other hand, the state government went ahead to announce various sops, including excise holiday till 2011 for wine makers. It also unveiled a grape processing industrial policy with incentives like sales tax concessions, simplified processes and procedures, fixed licence fees for 10 years and creation of a wine institute and a grape board for quality control, certification and export promotion.
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The state, incidentally, has two of the country’s biggest grape-producing districts, Nasik and Sangli. Nearly 20,000 hectares of vineyards in these two districts alone grow more than one lakh tonne of grapes every year. Though the state has half a dozen wineries, the production of its wine-quality grapes is at around 5% of the total produce with most farmers growing the table variety. Some concerted efforts, of late, have seen a gradual increase in the production of wine-quality grapes. “The recent changes will help the nascent wine industry grow faster,” the official said.Start a SIP with as low as ₹500 with ET Money App!
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