Kerala   

Rs.135-crore liquor sale during Onam week

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala was literally in high spirits during the Onam week and is estimated to have consumed liquor worth a staggering Rs.135 crore, perhaps much more than what the people as a whole may have spent on foodgrains for the Onam feast.

This is a conservative estimate and does not take into account the sale of toddy through hundreds of toddy shops dotting the State, illicit liquor and liquor sold through bars.

If this is taken into account, the amount spent on liquor by the adult and young adult population of Kerala during the run-up to Onam would be anywhere near Rs.250 crore or more, observers say.

The Kerala State Beverages Corporation Limited (Bevco) alone sold liquor worth Rs.126.07 crore during the five days leading up to Onam, including Thiruvonam day, up from Rs.94.31 crore over the same number of days last year.

The Kerala State Cooperative Consumers’ Federation Ltd. (Consumerfed), the only other agency authorised to sell liquor in retail, had a turnover of Rs.7.5 crore during the week, up from Rs. 5.60 crore last year.

The sale of liquor was quite brisk on Saturday as well, mainly because Sunday (the birth anniversary of Sree Narayana Guru) is officially a ‘dry day.’

Once the figures for Saturday are also finalised, the people’s total spend on liquor would cross Rs.135 crore.

The sale was the highest on Onam eve, with Bevco reporting sale of Rs.21.50 crore through its 330 outlets.

As has been the trend over the last several years, Bevco registered its highest turnover in Chalakkudy, where the Corporation raked in a whopping Rs.18.20 lakh on Onam-eve alone.

The next in line was Karunagappally where liquor worth Rs.16.50 lakh was sold through Bevco outlets.

Consumerfed, with just 46 retail outlets, had its highest sale in Kunnamkulam where it netted Rs.14.22 lakh on Onam-eve.

Only liquor sales figures relating to the Bevco and the Kerala State Consumers’ Cooperative Federation are available as both are publicly controlled organisations.

Estimates of the sales volumes recorded by the bars and toddy shops are not available.

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