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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Can TN raise a toast with local wines?
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. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ukraine: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo 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. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai 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.
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Business Standard
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Samsung to invest ₹1,000 crore to expand troubled Sriperumbudur unit
Samsung India will invest ₹1,000 crore to expand its unit at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, the same unit that was hit by multiple strikes over the past seven months. The unit makes refrigerators, televisions, and washing machines and accounts for a fifth of the South Korean electronics manufacturer's $12 billion sales in India. 'Samsung will make an additional investment of ₹1,000 crore in the existing facility in Sriperumbudur, creating 100 new jobs, reinforcing their (the company's) faith in the labour force of Tamil Nadu,' state industries minister TRB Rajaa said on social media. Samsung's Sriperumbudur unit, which the company now seeks to expand, saw a 37-day strike last year that partially disrupted production. In February, another month-long strike by the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU)-backed Samsung India Workers' Union (SIWU) seeking the withdrawal of suspension of 23 employees affected the unit's operations. Around 600 workers of SIWU have been staging protests within the unit's premises since February 5, after the management suspended three office bearers of the CITU-backed union. According to a management source, the protests started when a group of employees tried to forcefully meet a top official at the unit, which resulted in disciplinary action. Later, 20 more employees were suspended. Meanwhile, on Friday, the Tamil Nadu government announced a plan for an exclusive Taiwanese industrial park in Chennai, targeting investments of ₹10,000 crore from Taiwanese companies in electronic components, technical textiles, and footwear components, creating a potential 20,000 jobs. The state government is also planning to set up separate desks for its investment agency Guidance in US, Germany, South Korea, and Vietnam to provide direct support to investors from the countries. Further, the government is also planning a mini-Tidel park in the industrially-backward Nagapattinam district to create 600 jobs in the information technology sector. The government is also planning a State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Sipcot) industrial park on 450 acres land in Chinnasalem taluk, Kallakurichi district, which is expected to attract ₹650 crore in investment and create 9,000 jobs. Another Sipcot industrial park will be developed in Sankarankovil taluk in Tenkasi district across 150 acres, attracting ₹300 crore in investment and creating 3,000 new jobs. Yet another Sipcot park will be set up in Karaikudi taluk, Sivagangai district across 100 acres of land to attract ₹200 crore in investment and create 2,000 new jobs. A fourth Sipcot industrial park has been planned at Katpadi taluk in Vellore district across 250 acres, attracting investments of ₹500 crore and creating 5,000 new jobs. A non-leather footwear manufacturing plant is being planned in Natrampalli taluk, Tirupattur district across 125 acres, which is likely to attract ₹250 crore in investment and generate 2,500 jobs, mostly for women, the government said in a recent statement. To develop the districts of Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, and Thoothukudi into textile and apparel manufacturing hubs, plug-and-play facilities are being planned in collaboration with textile industry associations. And to meet the accommodation needs of industrial workers, 2,000-bedded housing facilities are being constructed at an estimated cost of ₹120 crore in Pillaipakkam, Oragadam, and Vallam Vadagal Industrial Estates in Kancheepuram district.
