Goa: Feni distillers protest against govt decision to do away with auctioning of cashew groves

They say it will lead to corporatisation of feni production that is currently operated by traditional distillers known as cazcars

Cashew feni distillers in Goa are up in arms against a Goa government decision to do away with the process of auctioning of cashew groves. They say it will lead to corporatisation of feni production that is currently operated by traditional distillers known as cazcars.

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant. (File photo)

The All Goa Cashew Feni Distillers and Bottlers Association has written to the state government, stating its opposition to the move. The Opposition too has lent its support to the distillers, with Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat saying such a move was unwarranted.

“The sinister plan is to remove, dilute and change all existing licensing, laws or governing hurdles in order to allow mass production of feni and thereafter, the wholesale takeover of the feni industry from Goans by big multinational corporations or the wolves of the IMFL lobby. This is about more than feni – Goa and our entire way of life is under threat,” Hansel Vaz, a member of the association said.

The Goa government’s excise department earns around Rs40 lakh from these cashew auctions. It allows winning bidders to distil feni from cashew juice during the summer months of March, April and May. Most of the bidders are traditional distillers.

“Cashew feni is a heritage drink of Goa. It also has medicinal uses and so, I think it is important that we preserve this brand...This is being done by traditional people. I got to know that the excise department wants to change some rules which will open the market and could also bring in big companies. The Goa government should not allow this to go from traditional distrillers to others,” Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat said.

Cashew feni distillers are co-owners of Geographical Indication tag that was awarded to the drink in 2016.