Grape Processing Board to develop wine sector

New Delhi, Dec 9 (IBNS) The Grape Processing Board will foster sustainable development of Indian Grapes and Wine Sector, said Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Charan Das Mahant in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Mahant said the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has set up Indian Grape Processing Board (IGPB) at Pune, Maharashtra, which is near major grape growing and wine processing areas of the country.

The major objectives of IGPB for overall benefits of the grape and wine sector are:

1. To focus on Research and Development, extension, quality upgradation, market research and information, domestic and international promotion of Indian wine.

2. To formulate a vision and action plan for the growth of Indian wine sector, including research and development for quality upgradation in new technologies/ processes.

3. To set up facilities for wine analysis, testing for quality defining and label standards, certification of wine and promoting Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)/ Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)/ISO 22000; 2005 etc.

4. Collaborate and advise wine-grape growers, wine-processing industry, Central and State Governments on commercial, regulatory and technical issues related to the Indian wine sector, including best practices in viticulture. Also, to gather and make available relevant statistics of the sector, including developing an effective market intelligence data service for the use of industry and other stakeholders.

The vision of the IGPB is to foster sustainable development of Indian grapes and wine sector, said the minister.

IGPB assists in increasing awareness and capacity building among farmers, processors and other stakeholders resulting in increased productivity, reduced wastage and improved quality of grapes and wine conforming to global standards.

This would result in increase in farmers' income by getting remunerative prices for their produce and consumers will get quality products. The grape processors are expected to get better market access for their products, he said.