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Time of India
18-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Sula Vineyards charts path to 100% sustainable winemaking amid climate pressures
Climate change is affecting nearly every region in the world. Nashik, known as the wine capital of India, is also feeling the heat. In the last 15 years, almost 50 seasons have been affected by climate change, according to Anil Ghanwat , President, Shetkari Sanghatana, a Maharashtra-based farmers' union. 'Sometimes there are heavy rains, sometimes there is a drought, sometimes the temperature drops below zero degrees in some areas,' he said. Excessive heat is resulting in overripe grapes and unbalanced wines, while increased temperature raises the risk of fungal diseases in grapevines. 'This calls for active efforts needed to be taken by farmers,' he emphasised. Sula Vineyards , a major winery in Nashik, is working on mitigating the impacts of climate change on its grape farms. Given the frequent droughts and water scarcity in the region, CEO Rajeev Samant said that they are focusing on water management. Sula has employed advanced water recycling, considering India's monsoon-dependent climate, and it aims to reduce water usage per bottle produced. Not just water management, Sula is also working on energy conservation. 'The methane that is captured during the treatment of wastewater is transformed into clean electricity. This reduces the reliance on natural resources that are subject to fluctuations and enhances the climate resilience of the operation as a whole,' Samant said. Sula works with over 2,800 acres of contracted vineyards and has processed more than 11,000 tonnes of grapes in FY25. According to the company, it is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The company is a member of the International Wineries for Climate Action and also part of the United Nations-led 'Race to Zero' global campaign. Live Events Samant claimed that Sula Vineyards has incorporated sustainability into every aspect of winemaking. Samant claimed that Sula Vineyards has incorporated sustainability into every aspect of winemaking. In FY25, Sula relied on solar power for 65% of its energy needs; this number, as per Samant, is likely to increase to 75% in FY26. Power-saving initiatives, such as the Burkert temperature control system, have already resulted in a saving of 37% of power in the cellar, and further growth is anticipated, he said. According to him, Sula consumed 5% less water per case in FY25. The company aims to bring it down by 6% in FY26, as it looks to utilise 20% recycled water, he said. 'We have also installed a methane capture facility that generated 35,000 power units in FY25 and aims to increase by 44% in FY26. We also have a localised glass bottle supply chain, which reduces its carbon footprint and supports local economies. The company increased its use of rewash bottles by 24% in FY25 and aims to do so to an even greater extent,' he said. Low-alcohol wines The wine manufacturer has also dabbled in low-alcohol wines, which offer a sustainable and healthier alternative to health-conscious consumers and have considerably less environmental impact. Sula's Source Moscato and Chenin Blanc Reserve are known for lighter, refreshing profiles. 'There is a shift towards light, approachable wines that seem to be gaining traction. Moving towards lower-alcohol wines can be good for consumers, especially from a health and wellness standpoint, as well as from an environmental sustainability perspective. These wines need fewer resources to be put into fermentation and greatly more freedom regarding harvesting and ripening of the grapes,' he said. Sula has also dabbled in low-alcohol wines, which offer a sustainable and healthier alternative to health-conscious consumers and have considerably less environmental impact. However, he highlighted the challenges of sustaining these green efforts due to the high upfront costs of technologies like solar panels, methane capture systems, and EV fleet conversion. 'Scaling these efforts while maintaining cost-efficiency and consistent product quality can also be complex,' he said. 'Moreover, as climate change intensifies, managing grape quality and yield sustainably remains a long-term challenge,' he added. Nevertheless, Sula maintains an optimistic outlook for the future. In FY26 and the following years, the company aims to reduce power consumption per case sold by an additional 11%, increase its EV fleet share from 45% to 55%, achieve a 6% reduction in water usage per case while enhancing water recycling to 20%, and realise a 44% increase in electricity generation from methane capture. 'These actions will aid Sula in becoming a pioneer in sustainable innovation while also assisting in meeting the set target of achieving carbon net-zero by 2050,' he said.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Infected blood family criticise compensation delay
A woman whose father was infected with HIV and hepatitis C by contaminated blood products used to treat haemophilia has said she has been left "angry" and "frustrated" by compensation Burkert, a single father of five from Bradford, died in 1992 shortly after suffering a brain daughter, Eileen Burkert, made her comments ahead of a two-day hearing of the Infected Blood Inquiry, which has been reconvened to consider the "timeliness and adequacy" of the government Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), which was set up by the government to administer payments, said its priority remained "paying as many people as soon as possible". More than 30,000 people contracted HIV and hepatitis from contaminated blood or blood products in the 1970s and 80s – and 3,000 people have since May 2024, a six-year investigation by the infected blood inquiry identified a "catalogue of failures" and concluded the scandal could have been "largely avoided".The government launched a compensation scheme for victims and families in the wake of the report - but there has been growing criticism about how it Burkert, who now lives near Halifax, said she was "elated" when the public inquiry published its report but now feels "frustrated, angry and in the dark.""Compensation is really, really important," she said."We can put it to bed after this, we can grieve properly, like we should have done years ago."We can look at his photograph, we can go and visit his grave, and we can feel like we've got the justice for him," she said. Figures released by the IBCA in April 2025 show 475 people have been invited to make a claim, while 137 offers of compensation, worth more than £130m, have been far, 77 payments have been made to claimants totalling £ its website, the arms-length body has stated that by "starting small" it can improve and grow the service, so it can be opened to "more and more people". Ms Burkert said it felt like there was "no end to it" and her family "just want it over"."Yes, with the final report there was a conclusion, but now with the compensation, nothing's happening," she infected blood inquiry has been reconvened on 7-8 May and will hear evidence on a range of issues, including the time it is taking to process claims and how much involvement those affected by the scandal had in the design of the scheme. The inquiry findings will be published at a later Burt, chief executive of The Haemophilia Society, said: "The government's refusal to listen to the infected blood community, and those with specialist experience of their care, has resulted in a flawed compensation scheme, which has failed to win the trust of many people at the heart of this scandal."An IBCA spokesperson said: "We have learned from every claim we have supported since we started to open our service in October 2024. "Now we are using everything we have learned to increase the number of claims each week. "As we continue to pay compensation to those who are infected and registered with a support scheme, we are also expanding our team of trained claim managers. This means we can make more payments and make them faster."At the end of April, we opened our service to 200 more people and from 5 May we will open our service to another 200 people. "From then on, we will ask for an average of 100 people to start their claims each and every week."
