US Embassy’s Agriculture Department Kickstarts Spirit-Tasting Flagship Initiative in Kolkata

The US Embassy’s Department of Agriculture has been urged to reach out to additional Indian cities, beginning with a spirit-tasting flagship initiative hosted by the US Consul General in Kolkata on Saturday, to rekindle the rising demand of alcoholic drinks in various cities. 

The demand for premium American alcoholic beverages in major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai witnessed a significant jump of more than double of what it was a year before.

This year, the US closed a transaction worth $12.7 million for distilled spirits in India, which happens to be double of what it earned last year i.e. $5.8 million. The US Department of Agriculture now want to go through the unexplored markets of other key Indian cities such as Kolkata, and work toward extending their trade outside its strongholds in New Delhi and Mumbai.

As per sources from US Embassy's agricultural affairs department, Bengal has huge potential for the American beverage industry, but it is important for the US to comprehend and analyze the variations in tastes and preferences in the state's local market.

The "Taste of America" campaign featured a variety of alcoholic beverages, including Jack Daniel No. 7, Buffalo Trace, Templeton Rye, and Michters Rye whiskey and was held at the residence of Melinda Pavek, the US Consul General to Kolkata. Director of The Drama Club Vinayak Singh organized the tasting programme to trace America's rich whiskey past in Kolkata.

The US Consulate General in Kolkata and the USDA now seems committed to making this supply chain robust and resilient to the advantage of India's discerning customers as the country's demand for US spirits products rises.

As per the available data, the American spirits business employs 1.7 million people and produces $200 billion a year with more than 2,300 distilleries. 1.37 million litres of spirits were shipped from the US to India in the year 2021, while 2 million litres of distilled spirits were sent from the US to India in 2022.

To increase export prospects and food security worldwide, the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) connects US agriculture with the rest of the world. In India, FAS promotes prospects for US agricultural trade by organizing and sponsoring training on the marketing and safe handling of US agricultural products. It also works to remove trade impediments.

Previously, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies welcomed the adoption of the India-Australia Free Commercial Agreement by the Australian Parliament claiming that it would further strengthen bilateral trade ties between the two friendly states.

The Free Trade Agreement is thought to be beneficial for both Australia and India since it would expand the Indian wine market's access to premium Australian wines and assist the Indian wine sector develop while continuing to draw on the knowledge and resources of their Australian counterparts.