Tipsy Christmas: Liquor worth Rs 154 crore sold in Kerala

In a remarkable display of festive consumption, the state of Kerala witnessed record-breaking liquor sales during the Christmas season of 2023.

The Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) outlets reported an unprecedented sale of liquor amounting to Rs 154.77 crore over a span of just three days. This surge in sales set a new benchmark for the state, surpassing the previous year's figures and highlighting the significant role that alcohol sales play in Kerala's economy.

On Christmas Eve alone, Bevco outlets experienced a bustling trade with liquor sales reaching Rs 70.73 crore, a slight increase from the prior year's Rs 69.55 crore. The days leading up to this peak, December 22nd and 23rd, also saw robust sales totaling Rs 84 crore, compared to Rs 75 crore during the same period in the previous year.

The Chalakudy outlet led the charge with a business of Rs 63.85 lakhs, closely followed by the outlets in Changanassery and Irinjalakuda. Notably, the outlet at Powerhouse Road in Thiruvananthapuram, which usually dominates sales during the festive season, fell to the fourth spot, while the North Paravoor outlet rounded out the top five.

These figures not only reflect the high demand for alcoholic beverages during the holiday season but also underscore the significant contribution of liquor sales to the state's revenue. In the fiscal year from March 31, 2022, to March 31, 2023, the government of Kerala earned a substantial Rs 16,100 crore in tax revenue from liquor sales, with total income from these sales reaching Rs 18,500 crore.

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