Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, May 16: On May 4, when liquor shops were given the permission to open after 40 days of lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic, there was ahuge rush of people to buy their favourite brand of liquor. However, after the initial rush, now the demand for liquor has gone down.

On the second day itself after the liquor outlets reopened, the sale of liquor was down by almost half. Now the liquor shop owners are worried as they are not able to sell even 50 per cent of the quantity of liquor, which they used to sell during the normal pre-coronavirus pandemic days.

The reason for the sudden drop of liquor sales is that people do not have money. In addition, most have lost their jobs, and buses are also not plying, which makes liquor buyers difficult to reach the outlets. This is the opinion of those who sell liquor as well the officials of the Excise department.

On May 4, the first day of opening of liquor outlets after announcement of lockdown, 171 liquor outlets in the district of Dakshina Kannada reported sales of 65,751 litres of IMFL and 43,583 litres of beer. The transaction amounted to Rs seven crore. The very next day, the sales was down to Rs four crore. After that the sales of liquor has seen a steep decline.

The movement of money in the hands of middle and lower class of the society has reduced as there is no income. Moreover, as migrant workers have left to their native places, the buyers are less. The migrant workers numbered around 30,000 in the twin districts.

After May 9, even the bar and restaurants are allowed to sell liquor which is in stock only. They cannot order new stock. Moreover, only parcel needs to be given and customers should not be allowed to drink at the facility. So far, 4.71 lac litres of IMFL and 2.66 lac litres of beer is sold in Dakshina Kannada district through 438 permit holders including 176 liquor shops.

There are people who have given up consumption of liquor totally during the lockdown. They were happy for the fact that their families heaved a sigh of relief due to their non-consumption of liquor.

In Udupi district, sales are down by almost 60% according to the owners of liquor outlets. On May 4, the first day of opening of liquor shops, Rs 1.50 crore worth of liquor was sold. Even the next day, the sales amounted to Rs two crore. However after that, the sales are drastically reduced according to assistant commissioner of Excise of Udupi district Nagesh Kumar. The officials are citing the return of migrant workers to their native places, reduction of money in the hands of public and stocking of alcohol by consumers as the reason for depleted sales.

Ramesh Nayak, owner of a liquor outlet in Mangaluru says, "For the past few days, even 10 per cent of daily sales of liquor is not achieved. The movement of people has become very less. Only those who have some cash in possession come to buy liquor. Only when buses will resume plying as normal and work starts as before, the sales may pick up."

Shailaja Kote, assistant commissioner of Excise said, "If we look at the monthly average sales figure of liquor, it is not possible to achieve even half way mark of the set sales target. The departure of migrant workers to their native places and no work for others has resulted in reduced liquor sales."