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Representative Image.

TN liquor sales hit a high, up by Rs 47 crore this Pongal

He added 12 districts, including Kanniyakumari, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Ramanathapuram, also saw a slight decline in sales.
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CHENNAI: Liquor sales by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) saw a slight increase during Pongal this year and the days leading up to it, when compared to the corresponding period last year.

From January 12 to 16, Tasmac earned Rs 725.56 crore in sales, compared to Rs 678.65 crore during the same period last year, according to the data accessed by TNIE. From January 1 to 16, Tasmac recorded sales of Rs 2,462.97 crore, up from Rs 2,300.23 crore during the same period in 2024, marking an increase of Rs 162.74 crore (7.07%).

A senior Tasmac official said, “Liquor sales in Chennai and its outskirts saw a decline during the Pongal festival as many people had travelled to their hometown for the holidays. However, other outlets across the state recorded regular seasonal sales.”

He added 12 districts, including Kanniyakumari, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Ramanathapuram, also saw a slight decline in sales. “We have instructed district managers to identify the reasons for the decrease in sales in these areas,” the official said.

In terms of district-wise (as per Tasmac’s classification) increase in sales, Perambalur reported the highest of 15.26%, followed by Cuddalore (10.41%) and Villupuram (9.62%). Perambalur also topped in beer sales, with 27,047 cases sold compared to 22,435 last year in the district, a 20.56% increase.

On the QR code billing system, another official said, “We have implemented the system in 11 districts, including Ranipet, Ramanathapuram, Karur, Kancheepuram, and Pudukkottai, to ensure transparency in sales. It also helps us monitor compliance with the 12 pm to 10 pm sales schedule. If any outlet sells liquor after 10 pm, we can track it easily.”

The billing system also helped the corporation to closely monitor the retail outlets during the Pongal festival, the official added.

He further assured the QR code billing system would be rolled out across the remaining districts by the end of this month.

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