Feni has aspired to scale greater heights and if provide the boost, be pushed into global markets. However, those at the helms of affairs and those that change this unique Goan drinks destiny have yet to take the steps in the right direction.
“For the past 15 years no steps have been taken by the old committee to make sure Goan Cashew feni rises above the country liquor status and steps into bigger markets,” Secretary of Goa Botanical Society (GBS) Miguel Braganza said.
The Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai has, however, batted for giving glamour to feni to enable it to gain self sustainability.
Speaking on the ever-sliding never-improving status and presence of Goan cashew feni, he said the committee that had bigwigs of the feni industry in Goa have yet to complete the next two steps for the past 15 years, to get the desired acceptance to the cashew feni of Goa.
Explaining some of the background of how the cashew feni got its geographic indication in Goa, Miguel said, “I was involved in the committee formed under J K Dadoo, the former Development Commissioner, who was the main mover of Geographic Indication for Cashew Feni.”
“In the same committee Gurudatt Bhakta, Mac Vaz and other big players in cashew feni industry were also there. Maria Lourdes Costa had done a lot of research to find out when cashew came to Goa, how feni was prepared in Goa. ICAR, Agriculture Department, everybody played a role,” he added.
“Sadly, the second and third and fourth steps of change of classification and standardization of the feni did not take place,” Miguel empahsised, adding that after the development commissioner got transferred to Delhi the whole fulcrum of this movement fell apart.
“The movement falling apart proved that the man who is leading the movement is important,” he pointed out while informing that nobody took that charge after the officer was transferred.
“Had some big-timers like Vaz or Bhakta taken initiative under the Goa Feni Bottlers Association, formed for this reason, things would have been different today for Goan feni,” the GBS secretary said.
“In the past 15 years we don’t see that progress as far as feni is concerned. The classification of feni into white spirit would have given it a big boost worldwide,” he pointed out.
The Agriculture Minister, however, looks at feni in a different potential of growth area and had said “Getting glamour to the product can do miracles to its promotion. If a new blend of cocktail come to light and gets good response it is the feni that will support the Government and not otherwise.”
The Fruit Festival was also aimed at giving feni the desired push.
