[ad_1]
New Delhi, May 3
As the coronavirus-enforced closure spreads, the approximately 250 microbreweries across the country see a loss of about eight lakh liters of fresh beer, according to industry experts.
Not only this, around 1.2 million cases of foreign liquor of Indian origin worth Rs 700 million rupees are “stuck” in the northern states, except Delhi, as with the start of the new financial year, Sellers need the go-ahead from the respective state governments to clear stock that could not be used due to blocking restrictions.
Ishan Grover, who is a brewery consultant, said that unlike bottled beer, fresh beer or craft beer have a short life. Several brewers in Gurgaon have started to drain beer as plants need electricity to maintain a specific temperature to keep beer cool, he said.
According to the Association of Craft Brewers of India, all plants that store around eight lakh liters of fresh beer have been closed due to the national closure and if a solution is not found as soon as possible, lakhs of liters of brewed beer will go the drain.
As the Center further extended the blockade for two weeks, the association demanded that microbreweries be allowed to start take-out food facilities with the help of beer producers so that their business is not affected.
“Various relaxations have been provided in the latest guidelines, but beer bars and clubs have not relaxed.
“We should be allowed to start the takeaway facilities with the brewers. By doing this, social distancing can be strictly followed, ”Nakul Bhonsle, president of the Maharashtra Craft Brewers Association of India, told PTI.
Bhonsle said that in about 35 countries such a facility exists for years and people take away fresh beer from producers.
Sibi Venkataraju, who runs the brewpub Toit in Bangalore and is the official national bearer of the Association of Craft Brewers of India, said there are 250 microbreweries in the country and they provide employment for around 50,000 people.
He said the beer plants have remained closed since the blockade took effect on March 25.
The CEO of the Confederation of Alcoholic Beverage Companies of India (CIABC), Vinod Giri, said they estimated that about 1.2 million IMFL cases are stagnant due to the blockade in the northern states except Delhi.
“This action worth Rs 700 million rupees was due to be completed by the end of the previous financial year, but the national blockade went into effect on March 25, so we were unable to remove it.
“We will need approval from state governments to sell the old stock of 1.2 million boxes of IMFL” in the new financial year, Giri told PTI.
According to the latest closing guidelines issued by the Ministry of the Interior, the sale of liquors, paan and tobacco will be allowed starting on Monday after guaranteeing a minimum social distance of six feet with no more than five people at a time in the store.
These stores should not be located in markets and shopping malls in urban areas.
All stores in rural areas, except in shopping malls, can remain open without distinction between essentials and non-essentials. PTI
[ad_2]
