Breweries work overtime to meet soaring demand
Beer is in short supply in Kerala. Many outlets of the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) are hanging hoardings: ‘Beer out of stock.’ It is a hard time for beer drinkers in the state. However, some 337 BEVCO outlets are working 24 × 7 to meet the demand of the customers.
Kerala banned arrack, the locally-made liquor in 1989. The current Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who played an important role in the ban of arrack, was the then chief minister of the state. From then onwards the state took the responsibility of providing safe alcohol through a regulated system. But now, the black marketing of alcohol thrives even as the state provides plenty of liquor through BEVCO. Official statistics show that more than 80,000 people visit BEVCO outlets every day. There are 600 bars in addition to 5,000 toddy (palm wine) shops across the state. The total income through liquor is around 40 per cent of the state revenue. That is why officials are fretting over the shortage of beer.
What is the real cause for this unprecedented crisis? Is it an artificially created problem? These and other questions are being discussed by beer lovers. While presenting the budget, the government announced that beer would cost less. Sources say the profit of margin is between Rs 5 and 10. Most of the experts don’t know the main reason behind the sudden shortage of beer in the state. But BEVCO managing director N.Sankar Reddy has the answer. He told TSI that the sharp increase in consumption has led to the shortage of beer. “Last year, the consumption of beer was eight lakh bottles per day during this time. But now it rose to 13 lakh bottles. Kerala, having a production capacity of about 10 to 12 lakh bottles a day, is working overtime for maximum production,” he said. He doesn’t agree with those people who say that the shortage started only after beer supply from Karnataka was stopped. The state receives only a small quantity of beer from other states, he said. Two new Hyderabad companies are willing to supply beer.
Of late, anti-liquor movements and religious bodies have criticised the state government for its liquor policy. Officials say they are implementing prohibition stage by stage. Sociologists say it would be an arduous task that too in a state where consumption of liquor is the highest in India. There has been a 100 per cent hike in consumption in the last four years. And most of the beer lovers are youths.
Beer is in short supply in Kerala. Many outlets of the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) are hanging hoardings: ‘Beer out of stock.’ It is a hard time for beer drinkers in the state. However, some 337 BEVCO outlets are working 24 × 7 to meet the demand of the customers.
Kerala banned arrack, the locally-made liquor in 1989. The current Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who played an important role in the ban of arrack, was the then chief minister of the state. From then onwards the state took the responsibility of providing safe alcohol through a regulated system. But now, the black marketing of alcohol thrives even as the state provides plenty of liquor through BEVCO. Official statistics show that more than 80,000 people visit BEVCO outlets every day. There are 600 bars in addition to 5,000 toddy (palm wine) shops across the state. The total income through liquor is around 40 per cent of the state revenue. That is why officials are fretting over the shortage of beer.
What is the real cause for this unprecedented crisis? Is it an artificially created problem? These and other questions are being discussed by beer lovers. While presenting the budget, the government announced that beer would cost less. Sources say the profit of margin is between Rs 5 and 10. Most of the experts don’t know the main reason behind the sudden shortage of beer in the state. But BEVCO managing director N.Sankar Reddy has the answer. He told TSI that the sharp increase in consumption has led to the shortage of beer. “Last year, the consumption of beer was eight lakh bottles per day during this time. But now it rose to 13 lakh bottles. Kerala, having a production capacity of about 10 to 12 lakh bottles a day, is working overtime for maximum production,” he said. He doesn’t agree with those people who say that the shortage started only after beer supply from Karnataka was stopped. The state receives only a small quantity of beer from other states, he said. Two new Hyderabad companies are willing to supply beer.
Of late, anti-liquor movements and religious bodies have criticised the state government for its liquor policy. Officials say they are implementing prohibition stage by stage. Sociologists say it would be an arduous task that too in a state where consumption of liquor is the highest in India. There has been a 100 per cent hike in consumption in the last four years. And most of the beer lovers are youths.
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