E-Paper
Maharashtra produces 90% of India’s wine: Report
Maharashtra produces 90% of India's wine, with 1.4 crore litres produced in 2022. Nashik is the wine capital of India, attracting over 3.5 lakh visitors annually. The report also suggests exploring e-commerce in the alcoholic beverage sector.
Maharashtra’s role as the powerhouse of India’s wine production has once been underscored as a new report titled “Economic Value of the Indian Alcoholic Beverage Industry” by The International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI) states that 90% of the country’s wine production takes place in lush vineyards of the state.
India produced 1.4 crore litres of wine during 2022, of which Maharashtra accounted for 90 per cent. According to All India Wine Producers Association (AIWPA), the wineries crushed 20,000 metric tonnes (MT) of grapes last year and produced 1.4 crore litres of wine. Usually, the annual sale of wine is around 1.30 crore litres, but the sector is witnessing a 20% growth each year.
The state has between 40 and 45 operational wineries. Of these, between 15 and 20 units directly market products, while the rest are only manufacturers. The wine industry has a turnover of around ₹1,000 crore in India, of which 65% is in Maharashtra. Most wineries are located in Nashik — which produces around 80% of India’s wine, and is called the country’s wine capital with 29 operational wineries —followed by Sangli, Pune, Solapur, Buldhana and Ahmednagar.
ISWAI report also highlights relationship between the alcoholic beverage and tourism industries. The synergy has catapulted Nashik into the spotlight, earning it the title of the “Wine Capital of India”. According to the report, “Nashik welcomes over 3.5 lakh visitors annually, drawn by the through its vineyards.”
The impact of wine tourism is not confined to Nashik alone; it cascades into the villages of north Maharashtra. Villages such as Gangapur, Gangavhare, Girnare, and Sawargaon are experiencing newfound opportunities. The surge in tourism in part of Maharashtra has led to the development of hotel properties, growth in the local food industry, increased demand for produce from local farmers, and a flourishing retail sector.
The report also urges the Maharashtra government to explore the untapped potential of e-commerce in the alcoholic beverage sector. Recognizing e-commerce as a significant opportunity for all spirits, the report suggests that Maharashtra could pioneer this venture by implementing stringent KYC norms, possibly through collaboration with a technology partner.
Presenting the report, Nita Kapoor, CEO, ISWAI, said, “The alcobev (alcoholic beverage) industry is the economic engine of the country and the state, and it is, thus, essential that relevant stakeholders should recognise the economic contribution of our sector. Maharashtra has the largest installed capacity in the country for the production of alcoholic spirits from molasses and grain.”
