Despite lockdown relaxation, liquor sales fail to pick up in Telangana
NIZAMABAD: Liquor shop owners, who were relieved after the State government relaxed the lockdown norms, are down in the mouth as the liquor sales have come down in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts. Their hopes of doing a brisk business have been dashed as the sales was only high in the first few days after the lockdown was relaxed.
Attributing the dull sale to poor money supply given the Covid-19 impact on the economy, the Excise Department officials said the youth and the poor were unable to buy liquor. Besides, the liquor shops could not resume their regular business for various reasons. Every month, over Rs 20-Rs 30 crore worth of liquor is sold in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts.
On the first day after the lockdown relaxation, every shop in the two districts sold liquor worth over Rs 7 lakh, which is more than double the money that they use to earn in the pre-lockdown times.
However, in the last few days, the sales of liquor have been down and each shop has only sold liquor worth Rs 2 lakh or less. In summer, the sale of beer increases in both the districts, as is the case across the State.
But that too has been disappointing for traders.
The Excise Department officials said the sales have also come down as events like marriages or receptions were not being held owing to the Covid- 19 outbreak and the lockdown. An Excise official said the sale of costly brands of liquor was good when compared to the sale of cheaper ones in both the districts.