Liquor Industry Urges Government to Speed Up Price Revision

Hyderabad: The liquor industry has asked the government to fast-track the long-pending price revision for suppliers, pointing to a sharp rise in manufacturing and operating costs.

According to industry representatives, the cost of key materials such as PET bottles, labels, caps, and cartons has increased significantly in recent months. They say global factors, including ongoing conflicts, have pushed prices higher in April compared to February and March.

Over the past two months, the cost of raw materials per case has risen across most packaging components. For example, PET bottle prices increased from 84 to 110.4, a jump of over 31%. Label costs went up from 4.04 to 5, marking a nearly 24% rise. Caps rose from 22 to 28 (about 27%), while carton boxes increased from 16 to 19, an almost 19% hike.

Suppliers also raised concerns about delayed payments, noting that payment cycles have stretched to 100–120 days. They say this is putting pressure on cash flows and increasing interest costs.