All-time liquor sale in Kerala on a high during New Year eve: BevCo

Kerala saw an all-time record-breaking liquor sale of over Rs 100 crore on New Year's eve, according to a source in the Kerala State Beverages Corporation Ltd (BEVCO).

"It was an all-time record for December 31 and for any other day of the year till now," the source told PTI.

On December 31, 2022, around Rs 107 crore worth of alcohol was sold from the 268 BEVCO outlets across the State, the source said.

During the festive season from December 22 to December 31, alcohol worth around Rs 690 crore was sold, he said.

The highest sales as on December 31 were reported from the BEVCO outlet on Powerhouse Road in Thiruvananthapuram where alcohol worth Rs 1.12 crore was sold, he said.

"All BEVCO outlets, including those in high-range areas of the State, saw sales of more than Rs 10 lakh. We have never seen such sales in those areas," the source said.

The reasons for the increased sales were improved logistics, availability of stock and better enforcement by the Excise Department against sale of illicit liquor, the source further said.

He said of the Rs 690 crore made during the festive season, about Rs 600 crore would go to the government as tax and duties.