Shops, consumers buy ahead of Dasara to escape Gandhi Jayanti restrictions
Hyderabad: Liquor sales in Telangana have touched record levels ahead of Dasara, with outlets lifting stocks worth over Rs 1,000 crore from the state government's liquor depots in just four days from September 26 to October 1.
With the festival coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, the day liquor shops are shut, shop owners and consumers bought liquor stock in advance for the festival. While outlets stocked up supplies to meet the festive rush, customers purchased liquor in bulk to avoid shortages.
Dasara generally drives up liquor demand as people organise celebrations, gatherings and parties for three days — a day before the festival, on the festival, and a day after.
According to excise department data, shops lifted liquor stocks worth Rs 260 crore on September 28 alone, Rs 279 crore on September 29, Rs 301 crore on September 30 and Rs 320 crore on October 1. From September 1 to 29, liquor sales had already touched Rs 2,715 crore. On September 30 and October 1 combined, sales shot up to Rs 620 crore in just two days, indicating the surge in demand in the run-up to Dasara.
The excise department noted that liquor sales during this year’s festival period have sharply outstripped last year’s figures. During the nine-day festivities in the year 2023, liquor sales stood at Rs 1,057 crore, but this year the Rs 1,000 crore mark was crossed in just four days ahead of the festival.
Since the formation of Telangana in 2014, liquor sales have shown consistent growth. In 2014-15, sales were at Rs 10,000 crore, rising steadily to Rs 34,600 crore projected for 2024-25.
The 2022-23 financial year saw sales of Rs 35,145 crore, up from Rs 30,783 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 27,288 crore in 2020-21. In earlier years, sales recorded Rs 20,859 crore in 2018-19, Rs 17,594 crore in 2017-18, Rs 14,184 crore in 2016-17 and Rs 12,706 crore in 2015-16.
