News National
Mahua-based alcoholic drink
coming your way!
F
or the fi rst time in the Indian market, a new alcoholic
beverage is likely to be introduced by the government.
The alcohol content is somewhat low at 5 percent with high
nutritional value.
The beverage is mahua-based and is named Mahua
Nutribeverage. According to sources, the beverage is likely
to be available in the market by next month. Priced at around
Rs 700, the drink will have six fruit-based fl avours and the
quantity will be 750 ml.
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of
India (TRIFED) in collaboration with IIT-Delhi has come up
with this drink after two years of research work. The report,
citing Pravir Krishna, MD, TRIFED, said that the organisation
is waiting for the licence of this mahua-based alcoholic drink
from the excise department. Once the licence is obtained, the
drink is expected to be sold at Delhi’s fi ve Tribes India outlets.
For Pan-India sales of Mahua Nutribeverage, Krishna said,
each state will be needing to acquire the required clearances
on its own.
Government
of India
encouraging
Sanitiser
Industry
T he sugar industry, as well as the distilleries, have been
asked by the government of India to prioritize the supply
of Ethyl Alcohol, ENA (extra neutral alcohol) and ethanol, by-
products of sugar manufacturing and used in making liquor or
processed for use as fuel. In Maharashtra, sugar mills are getting
higher demand and a higher price for SDS (special denatured
spirits) used to make hand sanitisers. As per the notifi cation “Sanitiser industry operating in the state
should be encouraged to operate their units in all the three
shifts. Indian Sugar Mills Association and All India Distilleries
Association have assured that Ethyl Alcohol, ENA (extra
neutral alcohol) and ethanol will be made available to the
sanitiser industry at reasonable price. The distillery units can
also manufacture sanitisers in bulk.”
Via a notifi cation, on March 19, the government of India
brought production, quality, distribution and prices of alcohol
used in the manufacturing of hand sanitisers under the purview
of the Essential Commodities Act till June 2020. As such the
prices of alcohol used in the manufacture of hand sanitisers
cannot exceed those prevailing on March 5, 2020. According to Sanjay Bhoosreddy, Principal Secretary, Excise,
Uttar Pradesh, “The hand sanitiser manufacturers require a
license from the exercise department to get the denatured
ethanol. If anyone having license to manufacture hand sanitiser
want to get ethanol, we will process their license application
online and within one day.”
Drink Asia
10
March-April 2020