Andhra Pradesh has recorded strong growth in liquor sales, earning over ₹7,000 crore in excise revenue between October 2024 and October 2025. This is close to the state’s target of ₹8,000 crore for the period.
During the current 2025–26 financial year, liquor sales rose by 4.5% between April 1 and December 17. Officials informed Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that sales of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) increased by 19%, while beer sales saw a massive jump of 95%.
The government expects to earn an additional ₹8,422 crore from liquor sales between December 18 and March 2026. Overall, the excise department is aiming for a 3% increase in liquor sales during this financial year.
Officials said the availability of international liquor brands and affordable pricing helped Andhra Pradesh achieve the highest growth in IMFL and beer sales in South India. Digital payments for liquor purchases also rose by 35%, and in some districts, by as much as 47%.
During a review meeting, the Chief Minister stressed that liquor policy should focus on healthy and responsible growth, not just revenue generation. He called for improvements in the current system, including the lottery-based allotment of liquor shops, application fees, liquor identification numbers, and retailer margins.
To prevent the sale of spurious liquor, the Chief Minister directed officials to introduce unique identification numbers for every liquor bottle, along with geo-tagging and tracking systems to ensure transparency. He also asked officials to take strict action against illegal liquor shops and to study Haryana’s sub-lease system as a possible way to control such activities.
