Kochi: Liquor worth Rs 150.38 crore was sold during Christmas (December 24 and 25) in Kerala, according to figures issued by the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO).
BEVCO controls the retail sales of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer in the state.
According to the Corporation, on Christmas eve (December 24) BEVCO outlets accounted for the sale of liquor and beer worth Rs 65.88, which is Rs 10 Crores more than last year, while Kerala State Cooperatives Consumers’ Federation (Consumerfed) outlets sold Rs 11.5 crore.
Likewise, the next day while BEVCO recorded sales of Rs 65 crore, Consumerfed accounted for Rs 8 crore.
Incidentally, the BEVCO outlet at the heart of the state capital city Power House road on December 24 sold a record Rs 73 lakhs worth of liquor.
According to National Family Health Survey, which was released recently, revealed that 18.7 per cent of men in rural regions of the state while 21 per cent in the urban areas consume alcohol. Alcoholics among men in Kerala are 19.9 percent higher than the country’s average of 18.8 per cent.
Alappuzha district stands on top with the highest alcohol consumption compared to the other 13 districts. Among men around 29 per cent consume alcohol in the Alappuzha district.
Followed by the Kottayam district, with 27.4 per cent among men being tripplers in the district while 0.6 per cent among women in the Kottayam district consume alcohol.
Overall, Kerala becomes No 1 state to have the highest consumption of alcohol.
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