By the next fiscal, importers will find it difficult to dump poor quality wine in Indian market, as the Union Ministry of Food Processing is planning to create standards for wine industry based on global best practices.
The standards will help the Indian wine industry create ‘Indian brands’ and reach new markets in Europe, Asia and North America.
Standards will codify grape varieties, alcohol content, fermentation processes, hygiene standards and viticulture practices for the wineries.
MARKET SIZE
The Indian wine market is growing annually at about 30 per cent with revenues of about Rs 800 crore.
Wineries produce about 17 lakh cases a year, while another three lakh cases are imported every year.
The wine market was depressed for past two years but it is now on the upswing.
GLOBAL STANDARDS
The wine standards would be notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, while the actual groundwork would be done by Ministry of Food Processing, Indian Grape Processing Board and National Research Centre for Grapes.
Joint Secretary U. Venkateswarlu, Ministry of Food Processing, told Business Line that Indian wineries find it difficult to sell their products in overseas market because they have not been able to produce wines to the global standards.
On the other hand, importers unload poor quality in Indian market because the Government has not set any quality parameters for these wines.
The new standards will address this incongruity in the market, he said.
Venkateswarlu also said that Indian grape-growing farmers stand to gain, as the standards will also define wine concentrations in bottles.
FARMERS TO GAIN
To reach those concentrations, some wineries will have to source additional grapes from the farmers, he said.
Chairman of Indian Grape Processing Board Jagadish Holkar said that sparkling wine from Champagne region in France is in great demand and has become a geographic indicator.
UNIQUENESS
In the same way, wine from Nashik and Sahayadri region of Maharashtra can also reach customers globally “provided we define what is so unique about our wines,” he said.
Holkar, who is also the Chairman of Flamingo Wines, said for setting the standards, wide-ranging consultations with all the stakeholders of the industry is underway.
Advice from expert bodies in Australia, New Zealand, European Union and the US has also been sought.
Inoxpa has rich experience, working with some of the top global wineries for over forty years and are duplicating their success in India as well. Inoxpa’s side entry agitators are extensively used in some of the renowned wineries globally and the company sees a huge potential in India for the product.
Application
Maintenance of solids in suspension.
Coupage (wine blending).
Gasification (SO2 or CO2).
Temperature homogenisation.
Operating Principle
The design of the agitator is based on the shaft that slides through a full bore valve into the tank and a propeller that opens automatically when started. The agitator shaft is provided with a C/St.St./EPDM mechanical seal.
INOXPA is launching a new range of single seat valves with significant design and feature innovations and improvements.
Valves and fittingsINOXPA is launching new INNOVA Mixproof valves with a series of improvements that aim to enhance performance and extend durability.
Valves and fittingsINOXPA inaugurated a new plant in France, facilitating an increase in engineering capacity, conducting FAT tests and equipment tests in the pilot plant.