Kerala liquor sales cross Rs 826 crore during Onam season

Thiruvananthapuram: As Kerala celebrated Onam, the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC) recorded liquor sales worth Rs 826.38 crore from its BEVCO outlets during the festive season, officials said.

According to data shared by KSBC on Friday, liquor sales up to Thursday, during the first 10 days of the Onam season, from August 25 to September 4, rose by 6.38 per cent compared to the Onam season period last year. During the corresponding period in 2024, sales were Rs 776.82 crore.

On Thursday, the Uthradam day, the day leading up to Onam, BEVCO outlets registered sales worth Rs 137.64 crore, compared to Rs 126.01 crore on the same day last year, marking a 9.23 per cent growth, the data stated.

Among the outlets, the Karunagappally store, attached to the Kollam warehouse, recorded the highest sales in the state on Uthradam day, with Rs 1.46 crore.

It was followed by the Kavanad Ashramam outlet in Kollam (Rs 1.24 crore) and the Kuttippala Edappal outlet in Malappuram (Rs 1.11 crore), data stated.

Other outlets that reported sales crossing the Rs 1-crore mark included Chalakudy (Rs 1.07 crore), Irinjalakuda (Rs 1.03 crore), and Kundara (Rs 1 crore).

The state currently has 278 BEVCO outlets and 155 self-service stores. BEVCO outlets remained closed across the state on Friday, the Onam day.

The KSBC Onam sales season will conclude on Saturday. The total sales during the entire Onam season in 2024 were Rs 842.07 crores.

The Onam sales this year are expected to cross the 2024 figures, KSBC officials added.