Adding more feathers to its wings, Lambu-Subu Food and Beverages Limited has recently launched Naara Aaba pear and plum wines at its winery located at Hong Village, Ziro here.
The winery had earlier successfully launched the first organic kiwi wine from the country.
The first batch of production including pears (added with Salyo) and plum wines was fairly low as it was done on a trial basis for consumption in local markets only. The second batch will have a wider distribution all over the state and even for domestic exports.
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The winery employs locals, right from collecting raw materials till the processing of wine. The young village boys help in plucking the fruits from trees and bring it to the winery, while elderly women help in cleaning, sorting, and grading the fruits manually.
The enthusiastic youths, both boys and girls are engaged in processing the wine inside the winery with the help of a winemaker of international repute, and the packaging of finished products is handled by unemployed young girls mostly school and college dropouts from the village.
Managing director of Lambu-Subu Food and Beverages Limited, Tage Rita informed that launching of both pear and plum wines will be value additions to her winery.
She added that the farmers of the valley will immensely benefit from selling their produce and also create a marketing platform for them.
“Fermenting the fruits and making wine out of these surplus harvests is just one solution to the chronic and impending problem. Fruit wine could be a valuable addition to the fruits and a livelihood opportunity for rural families”, she said.
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With wine technology and modern equipment in use, she assured good returns with the fruits by generating big economic activities for rural households and thereby a constant and sustainable livelihood opportunity.
Just like kiwi fruit, she also requested the Department of Agriculture to certify other fruits as organic so that the value of fruits goes much higher. “I wish the scope for organic certification of pears and plums could also be initiated by the Agriculture Department”, she added.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu posted in his Facebook page on Monday that he has huge respect for entrepreneurs as they are by nature job creators and the driver of economic growth.
“Naara-Aaba, India’s first organic Kiwi Winery from our Ziro Valley is one such entrepreneurial initiative by Ms. Tage Rita Ji. By providing value addition to Ziro’s kiwi, pears, and plums that grows abundantly in the valley, she has provided income opportunities for farmers and jobs for unemployed youths”, the CM said.
Khandu expressed that he is committed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Vocal for Local’ and assured to provide a favorable environment for entrepreneurship to grow in the state.
Michalia champaca is the botanical name of Salyo, which is commonly known as Champak in English. Salyo is an evergreen flowering fragrant tree that grows abundantly deep inside the jungles of Ziro valley.
Birds perch and eat its seed. The fruit, stem bark, and leaves are of high medicinal value for and traditionally the fruit along with seeds are used in local cuisines like Pikey-Pila and the tree is also of ritual importance.
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