THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has once again set a new benchmark in liquor consumption. The reopening day of liquor outlets in Kerala after 51 days’ closure because of Covid surge has seen a record sale of Rs 52 crore through Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) outlets.
The outlets under Consumerfed sold liquor to the tune of Rs 8 crore as against the average daily sale of Rs 6-7 crore. The figures from bars are not available.
Yogesh Gupta, managing director of Bevco, said the J52-crore sale was clocked though nearly 40 of the total 265 outlets owned by the corporation remained closed due to the area-specific restrictions in light of the high Covid test positivity rate. Normally, 24-27% of the liquor sale happens at bars (13-15%) and liquor outlets under Consumerfed (11-12%) while the remaining 73-76% is through the Bevco outlets.
In normal circumstances, the Bevco outlets clock the sale of around J38-40 crore per day while it will go up to J45-46 crore on weekends or special occasions. “This is a record collection and we have enforced more stringent measures at the outlets as part of maintaining social distancing in the light of more people flocking to the outlets,” he said.
Among the Bevco outlets, that at Thenkurissi in Palakkad recorded the highest sale of Rs 69 lakh followed by the outlet at Power House road in Thiruvananthapuram (Rs 66 lakh) and the outlet in Irinjalakuda (Rs 65 lakh). The officials also maintained that there would be slight variations when the final figures are tallied.
Among the 39 outlets controlled by Consumerfed, three ere not opened due to Covid restrictions. Meanwhile, the wholesale profit margin on sale of liquor charged by Bevco to Consumerfed and bars including other licensees has been revised to 20 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, as part of improving the financial position of he corporation. But this will not reflect on the MRP of liquor bottles as this is only an arrangement between Bevco and other licensees, said officials.
RECORD COLLECTION
The outlets under Consumerfed sold liquor to the tune of J8 crore as against the average daily sale of Rs 6-7 crore. Yogesh Gupta, MD, Bevco, said the Rs 52-crore sale was clocked though nearly 40 of the total 265 outlets owned by the corporation remained shut due to Covid curbs