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WINE POLICY TO BOOST WINE CULTURE
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As already reported in these columns, an
exclusive Wine Policy prepared by the government
is all set to come out with a bonanza for the wine
industry by removing it from the list of
'Alcoholic beverage' and declare it a processed
food product.
According to government sources the policy
would give huge boost for wine industry with a
40pc subsidy on investment. Bangalore-Kolar belt
and Bijapur -Bagalkot belt had been identified as
the target area for implementing the policy. "We
are expecting at least 15 to 20 wine manufacturing
units coming up after unveiling the policy",
sources
said. |
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Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has cleared the
draft policy only after he had been convinced that the
promotion of wine would not hit the excise revenue being
netted through sale of other alcoholic
drinks. "The
product positioning would be done in such a way that it
will not hit the Indian Made Foreign Liquor segment,"
sources told Vijay Times.
Around 11,000 hectares of
land is under grape cultivation in the State and much of
the produce is being supplied to wine units in
Maharashtra and around 50 containers of it is being
exported to European countries, mainly France. "A
separate Wine Board will be constituted to implement the
objectives of the policy, "the sources said.
As for
the consumers, it will not only widen the choice, but
also will redefine the booze culture with opportunities
for setting up exclusive Wine Pubs and Wine Centres
where only wine, of different quality and brands would
be served along with snacks and food. Separate licenses
with low license fee would be issued for the
purpose.
With exemption from Excise duty and other
tax sops, wine would be promoted as a healthy drink as
it has anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogenic qualities. The
move would make it an affordable social beverage for
every segment of the society.
Speaking to Vijay Times
a senior official in the Industries Department said, the
new policy would bring prosperity to grape growers with
several multinational wine manufacturers coming here.
Coming along will be new varieties of grape fetching
better price, creation of employment opportunities in
processing of grapes, manufacturing, packing and
transport of wine and of course, big bucks by tapping
the huge export market.
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