'Trade deals won't hit quality alcohol firms in the long run'

Impact on Indian premium whisky segment will be determined by extent of FTA concessions

- Varuni Khosla

Leading Indian alcoholic beverage manufacturers will remain unaffected by the recent trade agreements between India and Australia, or with other countries, said Paul P. John, chairperson of John Distilleries Pvt. Ltd, backed by Sazerac Co.

While the entry of new spirits under the trade agreements may have a short-term impact, it is not likely to have any significant effect on those operating in the premium and finer spirits business.

“It will take some time for the agreements to come in, as the talks are going on. But as long as we have a level playing field, temporarily we might witness a small dip in sales for some India players, but it should not be a problem so long as brand registration fee across different states is similar for international brands. Indian companies have to be prepared for tariffs to come down, and we will have to be competitive in terms of quality," John said in an interview with Mint.