Keeping in line >with a promise earlier made to the distillers of Goan Feni, a popular locally-brewed cashew and coconut-based liquor, Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Monday introduced in the State Legislative Assembly an Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2016 seeking to elevate the status of feni as heritage spirit, bringing it on par with Scotch whisky and tequila.
"Having considered diverse uses of 'feni' in cultural traditions, cuisines, medicinal purpose, etc., which is synonymous to the Goan identity, the Government of Goa has decided to separately define 'feni' and establish its unique and well deserved status by declaring this liquor as the heritage spirit of Goa," said the amendment legislation, which was introduced during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
Cashew feni is distilled from fermented juice extracted from the cashew apple and is a popular alcoholic beverage in Goa. A similar process of is used to distill coconut feni from palm toddy as well. Feni is currently listed as 'country liquor'.
Feni is also Goa’s first Geographical Indication (GI) product and it is also the first liquor in the country to obtain the GI status.
The Bill ambitiously seeks to help feni to reach out the "GI benefits to the primary and traditional stakeholders, enabling trade in world markets and positioning it on equal footing to global brands of scotch whiskey and tequila."
