Beer consumption rises by 40 per cent in HP

Shimla, July 19 (UNI) The quantity of beer being consumed in Himachal Pradesh has seen an increase of 40 per cent in the first quarter of this financial year as against the corresponding period last year, official sources said.

In April, the first month of this financial year alone, a record number of nine lakh beer bottles were consumed by the locals and tourists visiting the state.

The sources said according to an estimate by the state Excise and Taxation Department around one crore bottles of beer would be consumed this year as against over 56,68,852 bottles consumed last year.

The 40 per cent increase in beer consumption in the state was also adding to the revenue of the state, the sources said.

The increased sale of beer this year could also be attributed to the state government's decision to fix the prices of beer, which otherwise were decided by the wholesalers themselves, besides minimising its smuggling from the neighbouring states.

UNI AS HS DKS GC0432