Shillong, Nov 10: Local fruit wine makers and promoters have decided to adopt a new strategy to pressurize the state government to legalise wine making in the state.
“We will develop a different strategy to pressurize the government because we have seen the potential of wine making. If legalised it is going to be a boost to horticulture, rural economy and tourism,†said Michael Syiem at the sidelines of the 16th Shillong Wine Festival organized by the Forever Young here in the city on Saturday.
Syiem, a renowned social activist, has been spearheading the demand for legalizing wine making in the state under the banner of the Meghalaya Association of Wine Makers (MAWM) for the past 16 years.
He said two months back, the Association had also sought an appointment with the chief minister Conrad K Sangma for his intervention into the matter, but till now there has been no response to the request.
“We wanted to talk (with the CM) about legalization and benefits of wine making, but it is sad that it is still not a priority for the government,†Syiem said.
Stating that the cherry blossom festival which the government is interested in promoting cannot be compared with the potentiality of wine making to boost tourism in the state, he said, “As you see now, the cherry blossom trees also are turning green but the government is investing a lot of money whereas here (wine making) which has a multi-pronged potential, the government is not realizing it. This is very sad.â€
Pointing out that the wine festival is promoting a varieties of wine made of different fruits, Syiem said people from outside the state when they come here will not only get to taste one type of wine, but different types of fruit wines.
“…local drinks are always a favourite for the tourists. So, I am sure with the legalization of wine making, the tourism potential also will get a boost and we are very hopeful,†he said.
Syiem said this year, 12 wine makers including from Assam participated in the festival, and there were other wine makers also but they hesitated to join the festival.
Notwithstanding fruit wines are gaining popularity in the state, the art of wine making for local brewers still remains just a ‘hobby’.
The wine festival saw people thronged stalls not only to taste but they bought few bottles of wines made mostly out of local fruits.
Among the famous fruit wines on display were apricot, ginger, mulberry fruit, strawberry, passion fruit, blackberry, plum, banana, jackfruit, Roselle, sticky rice or even cashew apple.