HYDERABAD: Liquor sales hit a high in Telangana a day ahead of New Year celebrations. On December 30, sales skyrocketed to Rs 313 crore compared to Rs 254 crore last year for the same day. On Sunday, nearly 2 lakh cases were lifted from the depots of the TSBC by afternoon. Overall, liquor sale in the state is set to end on a high note with the excise department hoping to net about Rs 750 crore between December 28 and December 31.
NY fete drives liquor sales to new high in Telangana
Ending the year on a high note, liquor sales in the state were set to cross 750 crore between December 28 and December 31. Figures with the Telangana State Beverages Corporation (TSBC) showed an upward trend on the last few days of 2023, with 133 crore recorded on December 28, 179 crore on 29, 313 crore on December 30. The TSBC has estimated a sale of about 135-150 crore on the last day of 2023.
TSBC reported an astounding sale of liquor worth 625.7 crore in just three days before New Year’s eve, setting a new benchmark for festive alcohol consumption. Giving a break up of the figures, the TSBC said total liquor cases sold (including beer, wine, and hard liquor) were 2.72 lakh on December 28, 3.58 lakh cases on December 29 and 5.8 lakh cases on December 30.
On Sunday, nearly 2 lakh cases were lifted from the depots of the TSBC by afternoon. Sources in the excise department said most shops lifted requirements on December 30 itself – the day witnessed the highest sales in the year end. On this day, 3,729 cases of wine were bought, 2.9 lakh cases of beer and 2.92 lakh cases of other liquor. On December 31 another sales worth 130-150 crore were expected by the end of the day.
Sales have skyrocketed when compared to last year when 3.31 lakh cases were sold on December 30 as against 5.8 lakh cases this year. Sale volume stood at 254 crore last year as against 313 crore on the same day this year.
Sources said that sale volumes were strong this year even without any targets set by excise department officials. “Post-pandemic year-end sales have been increasing,” said a source on Sunday.
