THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC) has decided not to allow the demand of liquor suppliers for a price hike for the time being. Sources said a meeting of the KSBC director board on Thursday decided to defer a decision on the demand till next fiscal. The LDF government’s new liquor policy is also likely to be rolled out by that time. Almost all suppliers have sought price hike of about 10 percent citing hike in the price of raw materials. It is five years since the price of liquor as allowed.
Kerala Distillers and Brewers Federation president T. R. Vijaykumar had earlier told DC that the industry was expecting a hike of ten percent. The previous UDF government also allowed only around six percent price hike, even as we urged for ten percent. Usually, liquor price hike is considered during the beginning of every fiscal year.
However, since the model code of conduct for the Assembly polls was in force, the revised rates quoted by the producers were not considered during the beginning of this fiscal. Excise commissioner Rishiraj Singh chaired the board meeting attended by other members including KSBC managing director H. Venkatesh
