In an exclusive conversation with Agrospectrum, Dr Neeraj Agarwal, Director and Chief Operating Officer, Resvera Winery revealed the entire ecosystem of India’s wine sector.
How do you envisage the future of Indian wine export?
The rapid growth of the Indian wine industry is the result of the individual efforts of a few entrants, such as Chateau Indage, Sula Vineyards in Maharashtra, and Grover Vineyards in Bangalore. The Indian wine industry has only been around for three decades, but it has already managed to initiate and establish its own wine industry. Compared to well-established wine regions that have been producing wine for centuries and that too in temperate climate conditions, we are producing wines in a climate that is classified as subtropical rather than tropical. For the time being, Indian wines have attained a certain degree of quality; but, in order for them to be accepted in western countries, they need to be introduced there. Therefore, efforts are required in this regard.
How does India fare in comparison to other global wine producers, and what changes need to be made so that the country may become a winemaking powerhouse?
Indian wines are still in the process of developing their image and are not even close to competing with global wine makers. Efforts are required in the direction of research and development in grape growing and wine making because there is still research work being done in India to improve grape production and quality as well as wine making. In order to popularise Indian wines, it is necessary to take it to global consumers in order to explain Indian wines and provide them with the taste of Indian wines.
To what extent does India’s wine industry have the resources and technology to produce high-quality wine at par with international norms?
The environment that we have is our best bet since it provides an abundance of sunlight throughout the year, which is essential for the growth of high-quality grapes as well as the development of sugar and flavours in grapes, which is necessary for the production of high-quality wines. However, there is a pressing need for research and development.
What are the most pressing problems preventing the Indian wine industry from expanding exports, and how may these be remedied?
In order to increase the demand for Indian wines in international markets, it is necessary to communicate with consumers from around the world, provide them with information about our wines, and provide them a taste of our wines. Additionally, it is necessary to gain an understanding of the characteristics that consumers from around the world want in Indian wines and then work to make wines that are suitable for international markets.
What are your expectations from the current government?
The Indian government ought to make it possible for indirect publicity to be spread about wines, and interstate barriers ought to be removed. Label registration fees and license fees should be reduced in each state in order to facilitate the development of the domestic market, which has a significant potential for expansion. This will, in turn, provide an opportunity to improve the rural economy through the creation of jobs in rural areas and the expansion of wine tourism in rural areas, given that wineries are dependent on grapes and fruits. There is a need for wineries to be built in rural regions since there is raw material available there; this presents an opportunity to boost the rural economy.
When comparing India’s wine exports to today, what changes stand out?
The export of Indian wines has been a lucrative route that has effectively taken us into the world arena. There have been several reasons for this success. Despite the fact that the volume of Indian wine exports is still relatively low in comparison to the sales of domestic wines or imported wines in India, the category has been steadily growing since the implementation of Covid. Furthermore, the category will continue to be a major focus area for all domestic wine producers in order to ensure that their brands are recognised on a global scale. In India, the majority of the market consists of sales of wines that are either domestically produced or imported.
How well does India’s wine industry have the resources and technology to make international-standard wine?
A significant number of the efforts that have been taken to make Indian wines comparable in terms of quality to those produced by global powerhouses have been validated by the numerous accolades that have been won by local producers over the course of the previous 10 years. As a result of this, we at Fratelli are increasing our utilisation of technology and exerting more effort than we ever have before, both in the vineyards and in the winemaking facilities, in order to guarantee that we continue to make progress and set new benchmarks for ourselves each year.
At this point, India has already made significant progress, and the gap that exists between us and other global powerhouses is narrowing with each passing year. On the other hand, there are a few conditions that will make it possible for us to narrow the gap even further. These conditions include more consistent taxation policies across the nation and technical advancements in the viticulture sector.
By Nitin Konde
