Shillong, Sept 15 (KNN) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday launched the North East Wine Incubation Centre at Mawdiangdiang.

Speaking at the launch, Sangma said that the government has worked out a plan to promote a thriving ecosystem that links tourism, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and job creation through the promotion of local fruit winemakers in the State.

The centre, the first of its kind in the region, was inaugurated in the presence of Agriculture Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and Excise Minister Kyrmen Shylla.

“This entire activity that we are trying to do links tourism, agriculture, and job creation. It has the potential to unlock a vast capacity that is lying dormant,” he said, adding that the government envisages making Meghalaya the fruit-wine capital of the country.

The Chief Minister hoped that the wine incubation centre would provide a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to test and utilise machinery, encouraging innovation, and economic growth through winemaking.

Assuring stakeholders that the licensing fees for winemakers would be nominal, he said the government was working on streamlining the registration process to facilitate ease of access for local winemakers.

As per regulations, a total of 93 winemakers have since undergone wine appreciation and winemaking certification courses with 16 of them currently undergoing internship in a Maharashtra winery.

The courses offered guided tastings, educational workshops, and interactive sessions with sommeliers and winemakers making it an immersive and enriching experience for wine enthusiasts, connoisseurs, and industry professionals looking to enhance their knowledge, indulge their senses, and connect with fellow wine enthusiasts.  (KNN Bureau)