Alcohol to become costlier from mid-Sept: With effect from September 15, " country spirit" will be named "India Made Liquor".

May rise by 20 percent while in case of foreign liquor it will be less than 10 percent. 

MP | 9 Sept 2022 | Kolkata: There is bad news for tipplers ahead of the festive season. Come September 15, there will be an increase in the price of liquor. 

According to sources in the state Excise department, the price of country liquor may rise by 20 percent while in case of foreign liquor it will be less than 10 percent. 

"The price rise does not account to increase of state duties but the producers are going for a 20 percent hike," an official said. 

According to sources, a 600 ml bottle of country liquor will be priced at Rs 155 from Rs 130 while in case of 375 ml it will be Rs 105 per bottle, Rs 85 for 300 ml and Rs 50 for 180 ml. The price of foreign liquor will also be decided soon. 

The State Beverage Corporation (BEVCO) has called for re-tendering from liquor and beer producers few days back. Sources said that both beer and liquor producers were complaining about very low margin at the current price level. 

There has been no change in the rates of excise duty, additional excise duty in respect of foreign liquor and beer, including for BIO (bottled in origin) products. The state government has directed all stakeholders to keep prices as low as possible given the demand and supply and the impact on government revenue. 

The Bengal government has released a notification stating that with effect from September 15, " country spirit" will be named "India Made Liquor". 

"The ingredients used for making country liquor are much better for health than those used for making the same earlier. So the name is being changed," an official in the Excise department said. Bengal is a market of 14.1 million (1.4 crore) cases of hard IMFL that includes whiskey, rum and vodka, and 10 million (1 crore cases) of beer annually. 

The total consumption of IMFL in 2020-21 was a little over 10 million cases. This went up to the pre-pandemic level of over 14 million cases in 2021-22. 

 http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/alcohol-to-become-costlier-from-mid-sept-492401