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Speaking to reporters last Wednesday on the sidelines of the announcement of the International Wine Festival, Somu said the park would be set up under public-private partnership model at a cost of Rs. 20 crore (Rs. 200 million).
It would be great news and a big boost for a State like Karnataka which has generally been more wine-progressive, thanks to the formation and presence of the Karnataka Wine Board (KWB). Considering that the Indian Grape Processing Board (IGPB) started by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) and now in a coma due to paucity of funds, had taken two years to find an alternative word for ‘wine’ and eventually even dropped the idea of calling it Indian Wine Board because of a backlash feared from politicians and a segment of the population, Karnataka Wine Board has set a bold example.
Formed in 2007, KWB is a Karnataka Government Undertaking which has contributed a lot to the Karnataka wine industry and has fully justified its presence during the 10 years of service to the Karnataka wine industry.
It sounds ambitious that the grapes are yet to be grown but the wine will be ready to be launched in 2 years!! But KWB generally walks the talk, even if taking a longer time. Perhaps they will buy the grapes from the farmers. But it is an organisation capable of showing results and can deliver.
International Wine Festival by KWB
Held on April 7-9, the 3rd international wine festival was hosted by the Karnataka Wine Board at the Manpho Convention Centre, Manyata Tech Park in Bangalore. The Department of Horticulture is very active in such endeavours, giving credence to the fact that wine is nothing but an agriculture product, an extension of good quality wine grapes.
Inaugurating the festival, agriculture minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the government put in place a preferential policy to promote wine and kept the drink out of its liquor policy. It is perhaps not a coincidence that the duties on wines have been marginally decreased though spirits saw an increase.
He said the wine industry has been encouraged to launch boutiques across the state; two were set up recently in Belagavi. He said, "Encouraging the wine industry is to encourage grape farmers. The very idea of the festival is to showcase the potential of agro-based grapes and the wine industry."
Karnataka Wine Board Chairman Ravindra Shankara Mirje also affirmed the wine making plans of the Board.
Milk, honey and wine
The Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation Limited (KMF) is the second largest dairy co-operative in India. One of the core functions of the Federation is marketing of Milk and Milk Products branded as Nandini.
Could the Karnataka Wine Board (KWB) do to wine what Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) has done in the form of Nandini? That is the hope as the board hopes to revive the long-dormant “wine park” in Bagalkot to turn it into a winery. “We will be calling for an Expression of Interest from private wineries to turn our 141-acre land there into a vineyard. We will enter a public private partnership to create a brand from the wine produced here,” said T. Somu reportedly.
Whether the Board will be able to achieve the target of two years or if it is mere rhetoric would be interesting to watch. It is rather disappointing that the Press Conference for the Wine Festival was held on Wednesday, but there is no up to date information about this Festival on their website as of today. In fact it stares at you mockingly with ‘International Wine Festival 2016 Bengaluru coming soon.’
Tomorrow is another day!
For an earlier related Article, visit Bangalore International Wine Festival turns a ‘Mela’. It might be pertinent to add that the entry ticket was same this year-Rs. 49.
Subhash Arora |