Kochi: Tipplers in Kerala have a new brandy to choose from an array of liquor brands the next time they visit a BEVCO outlet. Named, Malabar Brandy, the new spirit is being launched in a bid to weaken the stranglehold of private liquor manufacturers in the lucrative Kerala market and also to raise the revenue of the Kerala State Beverages (M&M) Corporation Limited or BEVCO.
The government has also decided to increase the production of Jawan rum.
The decision to raise liquor production in state-run firms was taken at a top-level meeting called soon afer ther new BEVCO managing director Yogesh Gupta, IPS, took charge.
Malabar Brandy will be produced at the Malabar Distilleries Limited at Chittoor in Palakkad district. BEVCO is taking over this firm and building a manufacturing plant. The work in this regard has been delayed. (The Chittoor Cooperative Sugar Mill, which was shut down 15 years ago, was converted into Malabar Distillery.)
The foundation stone of the new plant at Chittoor will be laid in a month and production is expected to commence in the next 6 months.
The top-selling brands in the Kerala market include HoneyBee brandy as well as Pld Port, Old Cask and Jawan rums.
The government has also decided to raise the production of Jawan rum to 140,000 litre from the current output of 63,000 litre. Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Limited, which is a State Government entity, manufactures Jawan rum at its plant near Thiruvalla. The production will be augmented by increasing the number of bottling lines from 4 to 10. Already, the authorities have given nod for two more bottling lines.
BEVCO had apprised the government that more lines are necessary to cut losses. The plan is to double the production of Jawan rum within 4 months of receiving all necessary permissions.
Earlier, it was reported that liquor manufacturers had curtailed supply to BEVCO following differences over the margin. The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) had opposed BEVCO's move to raise commission. BEVCO wanted to introduce a slab system for the commission or cash discount charged from the liquor companies. BEVCO charged the commission for bringing liquor bottles to its outlets from the warehouses.
BEVCO is the state-run firm that has monopoly in the procurement and sales of liquor, particularly Indian Made Foreign Liquor and beer, in Kerala.
