Visakhapatnam ushers in New Year with Rs 5 crore liquor sales

VISAKHAPATNAM: The New Year bash and a series of festivals in December last year saw the sale of liquor and soaring in Visakhapatnam, registering a growth of 15 per cent than the normal sale figure. In the district, liquor worth nearly `176.44 crore was sold in the last month of 2017. On December 31 alone, liquor and beer sale figure hit the `5-crore mark. Though it is a significant increase, the district excise officials say that the sales were not up to the expectations. 

As per the excise officials, two depots in the urban and one in rural area supply the regular stocks to the liquor shops in the district. In December 2016, the district excise department achieved a sale figure of `115.74 crore which saw a significant rise in 2017 as the business transacted by the liquor shops was put at `176 crore.

“Though we expected the sale figure to soar up to `180 crore in December, it hovered around `176.44 crore. On December 31 alone, the liquor outlets clocked a business of `5 crore. We think the police restrictions on drunk driving reflected on the sales,” said an excise official off the record.

December 31 figures 
Visakhapatnam Rural: L2.10 cr
Vizag city: L2.9 crore
Overall growth: 15.2 % 
Increase in sales 
Visakhaptnam Rural- 18 %  
Vizag city: 46 % 
Increase in beer sale
Visakhaptnam Rural- 30%  
Vizag city:  15.2 % (in urban) 
Sale in December 
Rural area: L100 cr 
Urban (city): L76.46 cr