Kerala's festive season is proving a windfall for state-run BEVCO, with liquor sales touching a record Rs 770 crore in the first eight of the 10-day Onam season.
Liquor worth Rs 771.29 crore was sold through Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) outlets across the state during the first eight days of the season, till August 25, PTI reported, citing Excise Department officials.
This marks a rise from the corresponding period last year, when sales had stood at Rs 694.96 crore, reflecting a steady uptick in consumption during the state's biggest harvest festival.
On Uthradam day, observed on August 25, a day ahead of Thiruvonam, liquor worth Rs 126.31 crore was sold through BEVCO outlets.
This figure was, however, lower than the Rs 137.64 crore recorded on the corresponding day last year, the officials noted, even as the overall eight-day tally outpaced the previous year's numbers, the report added.
In 2025, BEVCO had recorded total liquor sales of Rs 826.38 crore over the course of the full Onam season. Officials said they now expect this year's total to exceed that figure once the remaining two days of the festive period are accounted for, given the pace of sales recorded so far.
Onam, Kerala's most widely celebrated festival, traditionally sees a sharp spike in liquor consumption across the state, with BEVCO outlets witnessing long queues and heavy footfall in the days leading up to Thiruvonam, the festival's main day.
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The Excise Department has previously mentioned the Onam season as one of the most significant windows for state liquor revenue, alongside the New Year period.
BEVCO is a fully state government-owned company entrusted with the purchase, sale and distribution of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), beer, wine, Foreign Made Foreign Liquor (FMFL) and Foreign Made Wine (FMW) across Kerala.
Revenue from liquor sales, including excise duty and taxes, forms a significant component of the state's overall finances, making the corporation's festive season performance closely watched by the state government each year.
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