Extended Liquor Sale Hours Likely to Boost Revenue on New Year Eve in AP
Accordingly, retail liquor shops will be permitted to sell liquor up to 12 midnight
By : Sampat G. Samritan
Update: 2025-12-31 15:03 GMT
Vijayawada: Liquor sales are expected to rise and fetch substantial revenue for the State exchequer on the eve of New Year celebrations, as the Andhra Pradesh government has extended liquor sale and service hours in shops and bars by an hour on December 31 and January 1, 2026.
Accordingly, retail liquor shops have been permitted to sell liquor up to 12 midnight, instead of the usual 11 p.m. Bars holding 2B licences, establishments with C1 (in-house) licences, EP-1 event permits and TD-1 (in-house) licences of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation have been allowed to serve liquor up to 1 a.m. on January 1, 2026.
According to State excise authorities, Andhra Pradesh records daily liquor sales ranging between ₹60 crore and ₹80 crore on normal days. During festivals and special occasions, liquor sales witness a sharp increase.
In 2024, liquor sales stood at ₹4 crore on December 29, ₹220 crore on December 30 and ₹112 crore on December 31. In 2025, sales were ₹190 crore on December 29, ₹180 crore on December 30 and are expected to touch around ₹135 crore on December 31.
Excise officials said licence holders lifted liquor stocks worth over ₹150 crore from AP liquor depots on Wednesday alone to meet the expected surge in demand.
With celebrations continuing into January 1, 2026, liquor sales are expected to rise further. From Wednesday evening onwards, liquor outlets and bars witnessed heavy rush as people stocked up for New Year celebrations and hosted parties for friends and colleagues.
Retailers and bar owners made additional arrangements by lifting extra stocks to avoid shortages during peak hours. Several liquor outlets and bars were also decorated with colourful illumination to attract customers.