Govt to study legalising wine making

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JAN 16: The state government is contemplating to study proposal for legalising wine making in Meghalaya from the perspective of promoting tourism sector.

“We will study (the long-pending proposal for legalizing) as the pros and cons will have to be examined before reaching to a conclusion,” Minister in-charge Excise Zenith Sangma told reporters on Monday.

Stating that consultation with the law department is required, Sangma said, “Such exercise is needed because the excise department is connected with rules and laws.”

The Meghalaya Association of Wine Makers (MMAW) has been demanding that the state government legalise wine making for the past 14 years.

The MMAW feels if wine making is legalised will not only boost horticulture sector but will contribute to the revenue generation of the state.

But even as  fruit wines are getting popular in the state, the art of wine making for local brewers remained just a ‘hobby’. Such local wines are also on the display only once in a year during the annual ‘Shillong Wine Festival’.

Neigbouring states like Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have gone ahead in legalising wine making and are already reaping the benefits out of it. Mizoram, a dry state, is presently generating around Rs 1.5 crore annually from fruit wines.

Admitting that wine making can boost tourism industry in the state, the Sangma said that local wines made without any preservatives will attract tourists coming to the state.

He said the inflow of tourists will directly or indirectly benefit not only wine brewers but also others like the transport and hospitality sector.

“This will in turn increase the revenue generation of the state,” he agreed.