 In an exclusive chat with delWine, Ms. Vinod Kotwal, Director in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and CEO of the IGPB, expressed a sense of achievement and pride by their organization participating in the show despite a short time available.
Sula, Indage, Grover, Four Seasons, Deccan Plateau, Vintage, Chateau d’Ori, Chateau d’Banyan, Renaissance and Empire Wines are the ten wineries that are taking part in the show.
On persistent query, Ms. Kotwal said that the Board had decided to participate after HKTDC agreed to give them a consolidated stand at a special price and they gave the offer to all the producers at a very special price.
This was the second time that India has taken part as a country at a wine show. Four years ago, Indian Wine Academy had organized an Indian stand in Wine for Asia that included Sula and Indage as the exhibitors.
IGPB has heavily subsidized the participation and the wineries were made an offer they should not have refused. The initial response to the Indian stand and the seminar held early in the morning followed by tastings was very encouraging.
Ms. Kotwal affirmed that the Board would go all out to take part in such shows where the wineries can do some new business. She also assured delWine that the Board would favourably consider actively helping the producers to send samples abroad for international competitions.
On a suggestion made by delWine that India must join OIV Paris as an observer, Ms. Kotwal said that the matter was now receiving positive attention from the Board. DelWine has frequently written about the crossroads the wine industry is at, and the important role the Board can play to shape up the industry.
Earlier the show was inaugurated by The Honorable John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region who said that the waiving of the duties resulted last year in a year-on-year growth of over 80%.With the government simplifying the procedure, Hong Kong was on its way to become the wine capital of Asia.
There are more than 480 exhibitors from over 30 countries taking part in the show including India.
Indian Wine Academy has taken a delegation of 12 importers as VIP buyers to look at the possibility of importers tying up with some foreign producers.
Subhash Arora
Hong Kong |