Amid the raging debate over toddy tapping in Tamil Nadu, a business idea that remains untapped is the state’s potential to manufacture alcoholic beverages on the lines of Goa’s feni as well as native varieties of wine. The state is among the frontrunners in the cultivation of grapes (third largest in India) and cashew (fifth largest), the raw material required for the production of such alcoholic beverages. Take for instance, the Muscat Hamburg, popularly known as ‘Cumbum Panneer Thratchai’. Grown in Theni, Dindigul and Coimbatore districts, the grapes record a minimum yield of 2.5 lakh tonnes per annum. While Theni dominates with 70% of total production, Dindigul and Coimbatore share 20% and 10% of the yield, respectively. K Mukundan, president, Surulipatti Grapes Growers Association said Tamil Nadu’s lone winery at Cumbum relies significantly on the output of vineyards. “We cater to this winery which procures our locally grown grapes to make wine. One of the largest wine manufacturers in Maharashtra also sources our Muscat Hamburg grapes. What we are eyeing is production at scale in our state to target markets outside Tamil Nadu, domestic and overseas,” he said. Mukundan emphasises that the Cumbum Panneer Thratchai, a Geographical Indication (GI) tagged agricultural product, is a one of its kind grape variety that contains 50% of water. About 500 ml of juice can be extracted from one kilogram of the grape variety. “Its export potential for winemaking is substantial in view of the international demand. In the long run, we could test the overseas market for vintage wines (made through fermentation and aging),” he added. So, where can the govt help? Initiating farmers into producing value added products and establishing quality control centres could be a start point. “Theni is home to Sipcot’s food park and a dedicated space can be earmarked for wineries on the lines of Maharashtra. Farmer producer companies can be trained and assisted to set up manufacturing units. Licenses must be given for new wineries targeting markets outside Tamil Nadu. This will be a win-win situation for farmers and wineries as the latter procure grapes locally at competitive prices, which will in turn benefit farmers. As scope for wine production booms, it will prompt more farmers to enhance area under grape cultivation,” he added.There’s another opportunity waiting to be leveraged in the northern districts of TN. Cashew apples, when separated from cashew nuts are usually discarded in fields or repurposed as cattle feed. But the greater incentive might be in turning these apples into raw materials to make a feni-like alcoholic beverage. By virtue of the GI tag certification, only liquor made using cashew apples within Goa can be called ‘feni’. Data from the TN agriculture department shows cashew was grown in 83,556 hectares during 2023-24. Of this, the cashew hub of Cuddalore (29,342 Ha) and its neighbours Ariyalur (30,537 Ha) and Villupuram (3,214 Ha) account for 75% of its total production. Cuddalore has an average yield of 470 kg of cashew nuts per hectare, but, five times of its volume of cashew apple goes waste. Approximately 69,000 tonnes of cashew apple gets discarded in the district itself every year. Around 300 ml of juice can be extracted from one kilogram of cashew apple, according to cashew industry sources.All India Cashew Association general secretary Ramakrishnan M said, cashew apples can be used to make feni-like drinks. “The challenge is obtaining a license to manufacture alcoholic products. The demand is considerable and Puducherry can be a launchpad for sale,” he added.N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research said, India’s wine industry, while still small in overall volume, is growing steadily. Wine currently accounts for 2% of India’s alcoholic beverage consumption. In 2023, India exported around $2.9 million worth of still wine and an additional $1.6 million of sparkling wine, translating to approximately 3,30,777 litres. “This upward trend in production and exports signals both increased domestic interest and emerging international demand. The success of pioneers such as Sula has shown that Indian viticulture, with sufficient investment and branding, can create products of both quality and global appeal. With creative branding and state backing, a distinctive TN cashew spirit could become a regional signature,” he said. The tailwinds from neighbouring states are encouraging. Three years ago, the amended Kerala Small Scale Winery Rules 2022 facilitated the production of low-strength liquor from selected agricultural items like fruits. A year later, Goa’s excise department said it was writing to other states to make feni available there for sale, and also make it available at all duty-free shops.When contacted, a senior official with the state agriculture department said that the demand for manufacturing wines and feni-like beverages involves policy decisions. However, demands of the stakeholders in the farming sector will be examined, the official added.
