Hyderabad | May 20, 2025
The Telangana government has increased liquor prices, effective from Monday, with bottles now costing ₹10 to ₹40 more depending on their size. This price hike affects over 2,000 liquor brands across the state and is expected to boost government revenue by ₹150-170 crore each month.
According to the revised rates:
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A 180 ml quarter bottle will cost ₹10 more
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A 350 ml half-bottle will be ₹20 more expensive
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A 750 ml full bottle will now cost ₹40 more
The hike comes as part of a decision by the Telangana Beverages Corporation Limited, based on recommendations from the state’s prohibition and excise department. However, there is no change in the price of cheaper liquor, ready-to-drink options like beer, wine, or breezers.
The change doesn’t affect the profit margins of liquor retailers, as clarified by D. Venkateshwar Rao, president of the Telangana wine dealers’ association. He noted that the government has only increased the Special Excise Cess (SEC), which gets added to the final bill, not the base price of the liquor.
Retail outlets have been instructed to display the new prices. The state government had earlier increased beer prices by 15%, but this did not significantly boost summer sales, according to dealers.
The government earned ₹25,617 crore from excise duty in 2024-25 and expects to make ₹27,623 crore this financial year.
Despite the hike, liquor in Telangana remains costlier than in neighboring Andhra Pradesh. For instance:
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A 750 ml bottle of Ballantine’s costs ₹4,150 in Telangana vs. ₹2,600 in Andhra Pradesh
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Johnnie Walker Black Label costs ₹4,690 in Telangana vs. ₹2,720 in Andhra Pradesh
BRS leader and former finance minister T. Harish Rao criticized the Congress-led state government for relying too heavily on liquor sales to fund public expenses. “It seems like the state is only growing in liquor revenue,” he said, questioning the government’s priorities.
