Liquor sales in Telangana cross ₹1,000 crore for this Dasara

HYDERABAD: Telangana has recorded unprecedented liquor sales in the run-up to Dasara, with vends lifting stocks worth over ₹1,000 crore between September 26 and October 1.

Retailers and consumers stocked up in advance to meet the festive demand and the Gandhi Jayanti dry day on October 2. Dasara is traditionally one of the busiest seasons for liquor consumption, spread over three days—the eve, the festival, and the day after.

Record sales in two days
According to the excise department, sales touched ₹301 crore on September 30 and ₹320 crore on October 1, adding up to ₹620 crore in just two days. Sales from September 1 to 29 had already reached ₹2,715 crore.

Shop owners procured additional stocks, while many customers bought in bulk to avoid last-minute shortages.

Outpacing last year
This year’s Dasara sales have already surpassed last year’s figures. In 2023, sales during the nine-day festival totalled ₹1,057 crore. The ₹1,000 crore mark has been breached within just four days this year. Liquor revenues in Telangana have risen steadily since state formation in 2014. Collections stood at ₹10,000 crore in 2014–15 and crossed ₹35,000 crore in 2022–23. Similar figures are projected for 2024–25.