NAGAPATTINAM: Though Deepavali liquor sales hit Rs 230 crore in just two days (Tuesday and Wednesday), Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) officials are bemoaning the fact figures dipped from the Rs 243 crore posted last year.
Deepavali celebrations are no longer confined to the purchase of new clothes, crackers and sweets. Liquor nowadays plays a big role, as shown by TASMAC’s alcohol sales over the past few years.
On a regular weekday, sales amount to Rs 70 crore to Rs 80 crore and shoots up to Rs 100 crore on weekends.During Deepavali and Pongal, TASMAC rings up Rs 220 crore to Rs 250 crore in sales in a mere two or three days.
With an eye on Deepavali, TASMAC officials gave verbal instructions to employees to target sales of Rs 300 crore during the festival this year. However, TASMAC fell short of the target with Rs 230 crore in sales. Figures showed Rs 135 crore on the day of Deepavali and about Rs 95 crore on Tuesday.
Speaking to Express, a senior Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited official said, “As we generated sales of Rs 243 crore last year, this year we planned for sales of Rs 300 crore but only managed Rs 230 crore. There has been a significant decline in sales this Deepavali.”
When asked about the reason, the official said, “It could be due to the price hike and the general economic situation. As we recently increased liquor prices by 10 to 12 per cent, occasional drinkers may have shied away from buying alcohol. As the day preceding Deepavali was Purattasi’s last day, many may not have been able to come to liquor stores. In past years, Deepavali was observed in the middle of the Tamil month of Aippasi, which helped sales.”
He said, “As the price of beer is Rs 140 now compared to just Rs 95 three years ago, the occasional tipplers may have decided not to make purchases this year.”Asked about the closure of outlets or demonetisation affecting sales, the official said, “Though we faced declines for both reasons earlier, we were back on track in 40 to 50 days.
“While we had obtained sales of Rs 25,845 crore in 2015-2016, this year, we have shown sales of Rs 26,995 crore. This is because of the increase in per capita consumption. Though we initially closed 3,321 shops of the existing 6,200 on April 1, we have gradually reopened some 1,000 outlets. As of now, there are about 4,730 TASMAC shops functioning across the State.”