Alcohol Content Reduced, Vendors Fear Zawlaidi Wont sell

Aizawl, Nov 23 : With its alcohol content having been reduced to 11 per cent, the Mizoram-produced grape wine Zawlaidi would no more attract any buyers in the dry land, vendors feared.

Sources said the vendors are now reluctant to take the risk of getting a 750 ml bottle for Rs 133 from the wineries on cash payment and trying to retail it at a whopping Rs 194 in Aizawl, compared to a retail price of Rs 174 per bottle last year.

That too with its alcohol content heavily reduced.

There was no denying that the grape wine with 14 per cent alcohol volume had sold like hot cakes in the dry state of Mizoram where any brand of Indian made foreign liquor costs not less than Rs 500.

However, a few weeks after the first consignment of the red pot wine hit the local market in October last year, the conservative churches raised their concern over the high percentage of alcohol in the grape wine.

Branding Zawlaidi as liquor, the influential churches pressed the state to reduce the alcohol content, which was done.

Now, the issue has pushed the grape growers, who run the wineries, into yet another troubled sea.

Even though the wholesale rate has been increased to Rs 133 from last year s Rs 130, the retail price fixed at Rs 194 has made the vendors unhappy. Sources said the wineries/grape growers, however, were unable to accept the vendors scheme of pay-later.

We cannot accept the pay later system proposed by the vendors as it does not provide any security for us in case the wine bottles break or get lost while in transaction, secretary of Champhai Grape Growers Society.

Even though, the excise and narcotic authority has given a green signal, not a single bottle of Zawlaidi has left the wineries, sources said.