There may be trouble brewing for Maharashtra’s beer industry with drought affecting the availability of water for production.
There may be trouble brewing for Maharashtra’s beer industry with drought affecting the availability of water for production. Incidentally, the state is one of the largest markets for beer.
Six of the 11 breweries in the state are in Aurangabad in the parched district of Marathwada. They source water from the Jaikwadi dam, which now holds only 5% water as compared to 32% last year.
Sources from breweries admit that their water supply has been reduced as a consequence.
“The impact of the drought on the beer industry will be considerable. Consumption and production will be affected,” a senior state excise official said, adding that beer is a water-intensive industry that consumes more water per unit than other spirits.
Sunil Lila of Lilasons Industries Ltd said, “This is a water-based industry, so obviously it will be affected.”
Lila added that the brewery, which manufactures Khajuraho beer and has a unit in Aurangabad, will now have to source water from elsewhere and that the summer months will be tougher with the availability of water on a decline at a time when demand is high.
Director general of the Association of Distillers, Brewers and Vintners of India, Sushil Haksar said that in case of such shortages, breweries can get water from sources like tankers and treat it using ionisation and demineralisation plants. “This is a value-added business. So they can offer to pay more,” he added.
Activists, however, pointed out that it was wrong to provide the beer industry with water in the wake of shortage of drinking water. “Why shouldn’t there be any restriction on the supply of water to luxury industries? Let them purchase water commercially,” said Bhalchandra Kango, Maharashtra state council secretary of the Communist Party of India.
In 201-12, Maharashtra consumed around 33 crore bulk litres of country liquor, 17 crore bulk litres of indian made foreign liquor and 18 crore bulk litres of beer.
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