The minister of food processing industries, Subodh Kant Sahai, has said that the Indian wine sector requires a long-term commitment, as it is a very capital intensive industry.
Inaugurating the national conference on “Indian Wine Sector – Potential & Challenges,” in New Delhi, Sahai said “we should not be deterred by the lean phase through which the industry is passing, including unsold stock of wines.”
He emphasised the importance of quality in the Indian wine sector and said that all phases of the industry should be geared towards quality. “It is, therefore, important to set up international level facilities for wine and promoting Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). We would, therefore, facilitate setting up of the laboratory for wine testing and certification,” Sahai said.
The minister further said that during his recent visit to the headquarters of the Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) in the UK, he and his delegation got an insight into the role that this inter-governmental organisation of wine producing nations can play in the development of Indian wine industry.
Sahai also informed the national conference on “Indian Wine Sector – Potential & Challenges” that his ministry has processed the case for India to become a member of OIV. The conference was organised by the Indian Grape Processing Board (IGPB).
Secretary of the ministry Ashok Sinha presided over the function. “We would like to see IGPB having strong foundations and in this direction I had written to the chief minister of Maharashtra to allot land to IGPB for construction of its building at Pune, which is the headquarters of the Board,” he added.