Plan to ramp up wine production in big way

​Hyderabad: Telangana State, considered to be a major producer of beer and whisky in South India, is now considering embarking on wine production in a big way. The State government proposes to establish wine parks which would attract huge investments from private sector. Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have reaped rich harvest by launching parks.

• As part of plan, the State government will promote grape cultivation around Hyderabad
• A draft policy is being drawn up to set up parks under public-private partnership

The draft policy to establish wine parks is being drawn now and would be submitted to the Chief Minister for approval. The Committee headed by State Excise and Prohibition Commissioner R Chandravadan studied the implementation of the wine policy in in Maharashtra, Karnataka and other States.

The Excise officials said the wine parks would be established under public-private partnership with aim of promoting grape cultivation and
producing good wine. As the weather conditions in Hyderabad and its surrounding areas are more suitable for grape cultivation, officials said the wine parks would be opened around Greater Hyderabad only.

After the city was hit by realty boom, the officials said that the grape gardens had vanished and hence the government was now drawing up plans to identify suitable locations to set up the wine parks which would also give a boost for grape cultivation. State Horticulture Department would play a vital role in promoting grape cultivation, the source said.

The government’s move would catalyse the State’s growth as a major wine producing State, officials said. The policy was being drafted to attract investors, the official said. They expressed the hope that the wine manufacturers from Maharashtra would also come to Telangana to set up new units.

The government would also develop infrastructure such as roads, electricity, drinking water and drainage in the parks and offer incentives to the investors to set up the processing units. A regulatory body similar to the Wine Board in Karnataka would also be constituted. This board is intended to monitor fruit and wine quality.