Despite wine activities falling under the food processing industry in Madhya Pradesh, the state’s first winery is now facing a bleak future due to financial crunch and absence of government-backed market.
The vintners have demanded support from state tourism corporation and retailing through shopping malls.
As many as 18 grape growers of Titri village of Ratlam district, ventured into the business on cooperative model three years ago but now they have very few options to protect their winery.
“We want Maharashtra and Karnataka like support from Madhya Pradesh government. Our inventory is touching 40,000-litres mark in the absence of independent marketing. We cannot sell our wines through retail outlets, barring few permitted by the government. Liquor contractors do not pick our wine from depots since it is duty free and hence they do not get set off on duty,” said Amrit Patidar, chairman of the Patel Wine & Fruit Processing Industry Pvt Ltd.
The government had assured them support through a ‘grape processing industry policy’ to put wine out of the ambit of Excise Act and award it food processing status.
Later, government maintained its control on sale through excise depots.
