HYDERABAD: It is common to see guzzlers shifting to beer as the summer peaks. But the trend has changed in Andhra Pradesh and the consumption of hard liquor is on the rise if the claims of the All-India Brewers' Association are to be believed.

According to the association director, Sundeep Kumar, there is a decline in sales of beer by one per cent during the previous financial year, 10 per cent decline in the strong beer category, while there was a 21 per cent rise in the hard liquor sales. The hard liquor - beer sale ratio in the State was 90:10 while the national average was 85:15.

Changing trend

The reason for this, he said, was the high prices of beer owing to high taxation in the State. As a result, the State, which was considered to be the largest market for beer and hard liquor, registered sale of 18 million cases of beer, out of the total 110 million cases sold last year.

Mr. Kumar, along with his association members, held discussions with the officials concerned in the Government on the policies to be adopted to encourage beer sales in the State. Citing a circular of the Union Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry, he favoured that the Government take steps to reduce tax on beer by 5 per cent in phases.

The auction system, presently being adopted for retail outlets, done away with and a fixed rate on outlets was allowed.

The step would help remove monopolies and cartels that still dominate in some States.

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