Visakhapatnam: Tipplers gulped down around Rs 300 crore worth liquor on New Year’s Eve in Andhra Pradesh. This is double the amount of liquor sales when compared to the previous year’s sales worth Rs 147 crore.
Liquor consumption saw an uptick, with a spike in single-day sales of anywhere between Rs 100 crore to Rs 120 crore, including Rs 11 crore in sales in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada each. The AP govt allowing the outlets to be open for three extra hours, until midnight, also contributed to the record sale. The average sale on a single day was pegged at Rs 75 crore to Rs 85 crore last year. Although bars were allowed to stay open for two extra hours till 1 am, business was slow.
Liquor outlets across the state in rural and urban areas witnessed a heavy rush on Monday (Dec 30), Tuesday (Dec 31), and even on Jan 1, Wednesday morning. In Visakhapatnam, liquor worth Rs 11 crore was sold on Dec 31 alone, excise district superintendent R Prasad told TOI. Around Rs 8.89 crore in sales took place through 145 liquor outlets in Visakhapatnam district, Rs 1.55 crore in sales in 119 bars, Rs 17 lakh in sales in 12 star hotels, Rs 8 lakh in sales through six clubs, and Rs 7.5 lakh in liquor sales through four tourism hotels. He said on average, Rs 5 crore in sales would take place in Visakhapatnam district on normal days.
Liquor consumption saw an uptick, with a spike in single-day sales of anywhere between Rs 100 crore to Rs 120 crore, including Rs 11 crore in sales in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada each. The AP govt allowing the outlets to be open for three extra hours, until midnight, also contributed to the record sale. The average sale on a single day was pegged at Rs 75 crore to Rs 85 crore last year. Although bars were allowed to stay open for two extra hours till 1 am, business was slow.
Liquor outlets across the state in rural and urban areas witnessed a heavy rush on Monday (Dec 30), Tuesday (Dec 31), and even on Jan 1, Wednesday morning. In Visakhapatnam, liquor worth Rs 11 crore was sold on Dec 31 alone, excise district superintendent R Prasad told TOI. Around Rs 8.89 crore in sales took place through 145 liquor outlets in Visakhapatnam district, Rs 1.55 crore in sales in 119 bars, Rs 17 lakh in sales in 12 star hotels, Rs 8 lakh in sales through six clubs, and Rs 7.5 lakh in liquor sales through four tourism hotels. He said on average, Rs 5 crore in sales would take place in Visakhapatnam district on normal days.
