Sale of beer: In 2 months, state earns revenue of Rs 400 crore

Kolkata: The early summer and the prolonged hot and sultry spell, particularly in the month of April, has proved to be a boon for the state Excise department with its revenue earning through the sale of beer touching a record high.

According to sources in the department, the revenue through the sale of beer has been to the tune of Rs 400 crore in the month of March and April.

An official in the state Excise department on conditions of anonymity said that such record sale of beer during summer months have never happened in the

recent past.

In the year 2019, a year before Covid set in, sales were good but not to the extent that has been achieved in these two months

As many as 20 lakh cases (boxes) containing beer have been sold daily on an average over the last two months which is usually 10 lakh

cases daily.

With the demand for the mild alchohlic beverage rising because of the scorching summer heat, the state Excise department had decided to ration the supply of beer to retail liquor outlets in the state during the month of April.

The move was initiated as the pace of beer production had slowed down during the Covid pandemic

situation.

The peak beer season in Bengal is from March to June during which almost 6 million cases are sold out of an annual sale volume of 10 million cases.

The production capacity of beer in the state is 18 lakh cases per month. However, the demand has soared beyond that. " We are expanding our manufacturing plants to cater to the demand," the official added.