UP grants 5-year excise relief to boost fruit wine industry

In a landmark development for the state’s fruit and wine industries, Uttar Pradesh’s first fruit winery was recently inaugurated in Jallabad village of Malihabad. The facility, established by Madhvendra Deo Singh of Mbrosia Nature Living LLP, will use local mangoes and other regional fruits to produce natural wines, promising higher returns and new markets for local farmers.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Principal Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Excise Minister (Independent Charge) Nitin Agrawal. In a move to encourage innovation and rural entrepreneurship, the state government has announced a full five-year exemption from excise duty on wines made from local fruit produce. This initiative marks a major step toward boosting fruit production and agri-based entrepreneurship in the state.

It is expected that the winery would offer a vital market for mango growers in the region and elevate the profile of Malihabad’s renowned mangoes on the global stage. Madhvendra Deo Singh, Managing Director of Mbrosia Nature Living LLP, opined that the winery will primarily source mangoes that are usually rejected by traders or sold by farmers at minimal prices. By processing these into fruit wines, the venture offers an alternative, value-added market right at the doorstep of local growers.

The winery also plans to diversify its product line with wines made from mulberries, bananas, pears, ginger, and honey. Singh, who holds an MBA in Agricultural Business and formerly worked with a multinational food processing firm in Mumbai, returned to his village in 2012 to support his family’s mango farming business.

The concept for the winery was born out of firsthand experience with the difficulties farmers face in selling damaged or lower-grade mangoes, coupled with Malihabad’s abundant seasonal supply. Singh aims to introduce the distinct flavour of the region’s mangoes to global consumers in the form of premium fruit wine.

During the mango season, the winery will procure fruit directly from farmers, extract the pulp, and store it for year-round wine production. Mbrosia has received a license from the Excise Department to produce up to six lakh litres of wine annually. The company’s flagship product line, Moybi, will launch in Noida on August 2, followed by a phased nationwide rollout.