Maharashtra Authorizes Selling of Wine in Supermarkets and General Stores to Help Farmers

The Maharashtra government has authorized the selling of wine in supermarkets and general stores throughout the state. On Thursday, the proposal was approved by the state cabinet. Supermarkets and establishments with a floor space of more than 1,000 square feet will be permitted to sell wine.

They will have to create a dedicated space for this.  

"This step has been taken to help and strengthen wine producers and farmers in the state," said Nawab Malik, the state's skill development minister. This will benefit all small and medium-sized wineries in the state." He also claimed that wines have a low level of pure spirits and are often utilized in restaurants and bakeries for food preparation and therefore there is a huge demand for wine in stores.  

A one-liter bottle of wine sold in supermarkets and general stores will be subject to an excise duty of Rs.10 each.   This will add Rs.5 crore to the state government's coffers. It would also assist the government in comprehending and tracking the number of wine bottles being sold in the market. 

The BJP, on the other hand, has objected to the move, claiming that the MVA government in the state is just focused on alcohol and liquor and not with matters affecting the general population. The MVA has dismissed these allegations, claiming that the move will assist a large number of farmers and wineries. The state administration further pointed out that while this policy is already in place in BJP-ruled states such as Goa and Himachal Pradesh, BJP in the state should stop opposing it.  

According to Maharashtra's existing wine policy, the sale of wine is confined to designated liquor stores. Winemakers will be able to increase their retail footprint as a result of the new policy. 

Maharashtra alone accounts for over 65 percent of the country's wine industry.

Nashik is a prominent wine producing hub in the state that produces 80 percent of India's wine. Apart from that, wineries can be found at Sangli, Pune, Solapur, Buldhana, and Ahmednagar in the state. 

In Maharashtra, over 70 lakh liters of wine is sold annually. After the implementation of the new regulation, sales in the state are projected to climb to 1 crore liters.