Vijayawada: AP has registered a dip in liquor consumption. The daily sales have come down to Rs 64 crore from Rs 72-73 crore.
A reason is, the religious festival season when devotees abstain from consumption, mainly after the wearing of the Lord Ayyappa Mala. Some are doing so after commencement of the auspicious Karthika Masam.
Hence, stocks from the AP state beverages corporation are being lifted only in reduced quantities now.
This season commenced with the Dasara festivities and continued beyond the Diwali festival and may carry on till the end of 2023. The APSBCL is expecting the resumption of regular volume of liquor for the New Year bash and the ‘good times’ would continue till the Sankranti festival.
The AP government says it is firm on reducing liquor consumption by setting up nearly 2,934 retail liquor outlets and simultaneously shutting down thousands of unauthorised retail liquor outlets or belt shops.
The government also enforced a close vigil on the preparation, transport and sale of illicitly distilled liquor to ensure that the people should not consume ID liquor and get addicted to it, as this would cause health problems.
APSBCL managing director D. Vasudeva Reddy said, “Liquor consumption has come down. The volume of sales is less, meaning a fall in revenue compared to the normal days. Many are abstaining from liquor consumption for varied reasons including an uptick in religious fervour.”
On the other hand, with Telangana state going for polls on November 30 and electioneering is gaining steam, there is no demand for AP liquor. The liquor here costs more than in Telangana. Moreover, AP’s liquor retail outlets are set up five to 10 km away from the common border, in Khammam, Nalgonda and Kurnool districts, there seems to be no lifting of stocks from AP for supply in TS. This, even as candidates and parties are offering liquor to win votes.
Liquor traders say TS has more brands and liquor costs relatively less there.
