Lucknow, Sep 28 (IANS): In order to promote manufacture of wine in Uttar Pradesh, the state government is mulling a proposal to set up a wine industry.

Taking a cue from the Nashik model of wine manufacturing, senior officials of the excise department recently met the wine manufacturers association to discuss ways of establishing a wine industry in Uttar Pradesh.

Nashik in Maharashtra has emerged as the centre of Indian wine production.

Uttar Pradesh now boasts of surplus produce of sub-tropical fruits which are now increasingly being used in wine making.

The state, which has a policy for wine manufacturing, does not have a single unit so far.

According to additional chief secretary, excise, Sanjay Bhoosreddy, "Several sub-tropical fruits like mango, jamun, jackfruit, guava, grapes, litchi, amla and papaya are grown in UP and the huge quantities produced are not even fully utilised. A lot of the produce gets wasted due to lack of proper storage facilities for fruits."

Bhoosreddy added that, "If wineries are set up here, then the industry will get a boost through incentives, farmers will get the right price for their produce and the state will earn revenue through sale of wine. All the fruits will also be utilised."

Excise commissioner Senthil Pandiyan C. said, "Under the one-district one product scheme, the excise department will identify districts where fruit cultivation is high, and the produce is not used fully so that wineries can be established in such areas."

All India Wine Producers Association president Jagdish Holkar has assured the UP government that he would apprise potential investors about the incentives being offered by the state government for setting up wineries in the state.