PANAJI
Goa’s centuries-old heady local brew, feni, is seemingly set to scale a new high, literally, with two significant developments this week -- notification of the ‘Goa Feni Policy, 2021, as announced by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in his budget speech in March and the setting up of a dedicated ‘All about Alcohol’ museum by entrepreneur Nandan Kudchadkar.
The policy intends to take the real spirit of Goa’s Heritage Drink “Feni” to the world and make it renowned globally, states the vision statement of the policy notified and published in the official gazette.
It fixes standards and specifications to be met by those involved in the production chain, including industry and trade of the brew and all alcoholic products in the process. It also relates to both the versions of feni -- Cashew and Coconut (Palm) -- and will be regulated by the office of the Commissioner of Excise.
The policy applies to all processes and activities related to harvesting, sourcing, juice extraction (of Cashew Apples), its fermentation, distilling, storing, ageing, bottling, marketing information and business practices linked to Feni and all alcoholic products arising from the process.
Cashew Feni had got a Geographical Indicator status back in 2007 following a collaborative effort by the Goa Cashew Feni Distillers & Bottlers Association and the State government.
It provides for a Conformity Assessment Board (CAB), a committee appointed by the State government headed by the Excise Commissioner for verification of compliance with specifications.
It also defines standard terms like “Todap”, the first distillate of the fermented cashew juice, “Urrac” also spelt as “Urrack” which means the part distillate obtained during the first phase of the distillation process of Cashew Feni.
The policy also lists out certain traditional practices in the feni manufacturing process including stomping methods like “malap”, where cashew apples are crushed by the use of feet on a “kolombi” even as it provides for mechanised methods, including any
tools approved by the CAB such as pneumatic press, stainless steel electric crusher, stainless steel press, balloon press for juice extraction.
Standards for storing, maturing and bottling besides prohibition of blending are provided for in the policy.
It also provides for verification of compliance with specifications through a process certification by the CAB which is made mandatory for all businesses applying for GI license.
The policy also acknowledges the need to promote nationally the cultural and traditional ethos of Feni through communication used in the promotion of Goa tourism and states that it should find place in the International Tourism Events where the Goa Pavilion on tourism is exhibited.
Meanwhile, earlier last week a museum fully dedicated to Feni went onstream, launched by multi-business promoter Nandan Kudchadkar at Candolim. The museum boasts of a collection of scores of implements linked to feni such as traditional and antique glass garafaos, which according to its promoter will act as a repository of the implements that go into feni manufacturing.
