Cheers! Kerala creates new record in alcohol consumption

Thiruvananthapuram, April 6: Liquor sales touched an all-time high in

at Rs 8,841 crore for fiscal 2012-13, show figures. Figures provided by the sole wholesaler of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer, the state-owned Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC), shows that the overall sales jumped from Rs 7,860 crore in 2011-12 to a record Rs 8,841 crore in the last fiscal (2012-13).

"By way of taxes, the state government got into its kitty a record Rs 7,251 crore, up from Rs 6,352 crore," said a KSBC official who did not wish to be identified.

Liquor in the state is sold through 708 bar hotels and 383 state-owned retail outlets. In all, 2.44 crore cases of IMFL were sold in the state during the last fiscal, up from 2.41 crore cases. When it came to sale of beer, a new record was broken with sales crossing one crore cases to reach 1.02 crore cases, up from 0.98 crore cases in fiscal 2011-12.

Rum reigns as the number one choice of tipplers in India's most literate state, accounting for more than 55 per cent of liquor sold, followed by brandy, with close to 40 per cent share. Vodka sales are four per cent. Gin, whiskey and wine together account for just one per cent.

IANS