Pune: Sales of state-regulated country liquor rose sharply following the crackdown on spurious liquor after a recent hooch tragedy, with traders claiming that many consumers have shifted to legal products.“State-regulated country liquor sales have gone up substantially after the action against spurious liquor. Many consumers who earlier bought illicit liquor have shifted to legal country liquor. The demand has risen so much that suppliers are not always able to keep pace,” said a member of the Pune District Wine Merchants Association.Sources from the association, however, said that unless enforcement against the illicit liquor trade is sustained, the trend may prove temporary. The association said similar spikes in official sales have been observed after previous enforcement drives, but the gains often taper off as the illicit trade gradually resurfaces.“History has shown that whenever there was a major crackdown, official sales improved for a few months. Its enforcement weakened, spurious liquor has found its way back into the market, and official sales have declined again,” another wine dealer said.According to liquor retailers, the current increase in legal sales highlights the scale of the illegal liquor market that existed earlier.“If state-regulated country liquor sales have increased so sharply after the crackdown, it indicates that a sizeable section of consumers was previously buying illicit liquor. A sustained crackdown would not only improve public safety, but also boost government revenue through legitimate sales,” said a retailer.The traders urged authorities to continue coordinated action by the police and the state excise department across Maharashtra instead of limiting it to areas affected by recent incidents.“The present enforcement model should be replicated consistently across the state. If illegal liquor is curbed throughout the year, official sales could remain much higher, and government tax collections would also improve,” he said.The association also pointed to seasonal consumption trends, saying recent heavy rainfall has affected beer sales while state-regulated country liquor has remained relatively resilient because of its lower price.“Beer sales have slowed after the recent spell of heavy rain. Consumers looking for lower-priced alcohol generally shift towards country liquor rather than Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), especially when price differences widen,” another retailer said.The Pune District Wine Merchants Association also alleged that some permit rooms holding on-premises (FL-3) licences continue to sell liquor across retail counters despite being licensed only for consumption on the premises.“There are establishments that appear to have ample stocks despite not making corresponding official purchases. If such outlets are inspected and made to procure liquor through authorised channels, the state could substantially improve its value-added tax (VAT) collections, as permit rooms are required to pay 10% VAT on alcohol sales,” a dealer said.
