India-UK FTA: Goa's feni, Kerala's toddy to get shelf space in British stores

New Delhi: India's unique traditional craft beverages, including Goa's feni, Nashik's artisanal wines, and Kerala's toddy, are set to gain recognition in the UK as the two countries signed the free trade agreement on Thursday.

With this, ethnic alchoBev Indian drinks will not only enjoy their traditional Geographical Indication (GI) protection but also gain access to developed markets as the UK, where demand for natural and organic products is on the rise.

They will offer their unique taste, distinct flavour profile and heritage to the British tumblers.

The FTA will not only help place traditional Indian craft beverages on the shelf space in the UK, along with Scotch Whisky and others, but also help explore niche channels such as hospitality, said a Commerce & Industry ministry official.

"Indian craft drinks like feni from Goa, artisanal wines from Nashik, and toddy from Kerala will now enjoy Geographical Indication (GI) protection and shelf space in high-end UK retail and hospitality chains," the official added.

This will be a major boost for the government, which is promoting exports of Indian alcoholic beverages to global markets.

Though this is a new segment, the government expects the country's exports of alcoholic beverages to reach $1 billion by 2030 from the current $370.5 million.

Earlier in April, APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) said Indian alcoholic beverages have huge potential in global markets and the country has a lot of good products, including gin, beer, wine, and rum, to offer to the world.

India is currently ranked 40th in the world for alcoholic beverage exports, and the target is to be among the top 10 exporters in the world in the coming years.

The country's alcoholic beverages exports stood at over Rs 2,200 crore in 2023-24. The major destinations include the UAE, Singapore, the Netherlands, Tanzania, Angola, Kenya and Rwanda.