Guwahati, Aug 9: Seventy-seven years down the line and Meghalaya’s fruit wine industry is on the “right path”.
Fruit wine production in Meghalaya dates back to 1947 when Captain Harold Douglas Hunt established a winery in Mawphlang after obtaining a license from the then Governor of Assam, Sir Akbar Hydari. The winery produced the famous Mawphlang Cherry wine and Cherry brandy from the fruits of Sohiong and gained popularity across the country. The winery ceased operations in the 1980s, post Captain Hunt’s death but since then, other hobbyist winemakers have continued making Sohiong wine and expanded to include other fruits as well.
“Meghalaya, with its rich biodiversity and unique climatic conditions, harbours an abundance of fruit varieties suitable for wine production, such as Sohiong, Soh-Poh-Khasi, and many other native varieties. Both Khasi and Garo Hills offer an array of native fruit varieties yet to be explored. Commercial fruits such as Pineapple and Plum are also excellent contenders for winemaking” says Priyanka Save, Meghalaya Fruit Wine Ambassador.
Priyanka Save has pioneered the farm-to-table concept for fruits across Maharashtra and enabled farmers to get well-deserved earnings from the fruit they produced after much hard work but would have otherwise gone to waste. Recently, Priyanka has set foot in the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh with Himachal Nectars Pvt. Ltd. in a quest to manufacture quality beverages from the state.
“She is a fruit winemaker and wine educator, she trains our winemakers and advocates the cause of fruit wines nationally and globally. She is also the Vice President of the All India Wine Producers Association” says Executive Advisor Meghalaya Farmers’ (Empowerment) Commission Act B. K. Sohliya.
Priyanka has been visiting wineries in Garo Hills as part of the mentorship and handholding of Fruit Wine Entrepreneurs who will be showcasing their wines at the upcoming Vinexpo Mumbai 2024 next month. Vinexpo India has established its reputation as a strategic event for expanding the international wine and spirits industry.
She says the production of fruit wines in Meghalaya presents a multifaceted opportunity that spans economic, entrepreneurial, and nutritional domains. “To explore the potential of fruit wines to bolster livelihoods, stimulate enterprise development, and enhance the utilization of local produce in this northeastern Indian state, the Meghalaya Farmers Empowerment Commission(MFEC) has a crucial role to play,” she says.
“Fruit wines have been a part of local households as they have been practising home winemaking. However, wine-making as a commercial enterprise needs appropriate licensing as well as compliance criteria abiding by FSSAI. The challenges faced by the fruit wine industry in Meghalaya, such as regulatory hurdles, market access, and the need for consistent quality standards, have been analysed closely by the Commission” she says.
Priyanka says by conducting a training program and providing an incubation centre with modern equipment for wine making in IHM Shillong, it won’t be long before Meghalaya shall emerge as a fruit wine destination of the world.
Fruit wines of Meghalaya are slowly catching the market interest and it is being showcased at national expos and being served at hotels like Guwahati Vivanta.
The MFEC has organized exposure visits for winemakers and officials to the Indian wine industry in Nashik and international wine exhibitions like VinExpo India in Mumbai and Delhi. The Commission firmly believes that embracing modern technology and implementing innovative practices are crucial for improving the quality of local fruit wines. To further support local winemakers through training, mentorship and incubation, the MFEC established the First Model Fruit Winery at the Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition (IHMCTAN) campus in Shillong.
The Wine Appreciation & Wine Making Certification Courses have been organised by MFEC to encourage local winemakers to transition from the traditional art of winemaking to modern winemaking techniques to ensure that the quality of wine produced in the state matches nationally and internationally recognized wine standards. “The goal is to make Meghalaya the Fruit Wine and Mead Capital of the country just like Nashik has become the Grape Wine Capital” an official says.
