Tasmac stores cash in on Pongal holidays

Chennai: Two days of holidays saw the state-run Tas­m­ac liquor shops crow­d­ed since Thursday mo­­r­ning, with sales ex­pe­cted to cross Rs 100 cr­o­re, a 40 per cent inc­rease over last Pongal. With Friday also being a holiday, Tasmac sho­ps are likely to cross the three lakh cases ma­rk in mark, a highly pl­aced Tasmac official said.

“Alcohol has become an integral part of people's lives and even before the shutters were opened, there was a queue in front of our shop. Since tomorrow (Friday) is a holiday, se­veral customers we­re also stocking up and the sales were brisk throughout the day,” said a shop supervisor in Koyambedu.

“The State government's concept of having a 'dry day' by closing the wine shops hardly serves any purpose as sales of liquor bottles in the black ma­rket are rampant. On Thursday morning a quarter bottle (180 ml) sold at around Rs 150; by night the price had surged to Rs 200,” said K. Prakash, a resident of Guindy Ambal Nagar.

On the eve of Pongal, Tasmac recorded an all time high in sales of Rs 158 crore per day, selling 3.7 lakh cases, and the total Pongal sales are expected to be close to Rs 275 crore. The daily average sales now range between Rs 60-65 crore, a senior Tasmac official said.

“Usually, sales are high from 6 pm to 10 pm and on holidays sales are consistent th­r­o­ughout the day. Thu­r­sday being a holiday, our bar had recorded 50 per cent additional sales,” said S. Mu­ru­gan, an attendant at a Tasmac air conditioned bar in north Chennai.