Kochi: Tipplers who are in the habit of buying a quarter bottle of liquor are facing a hard time in Kerala as manufactures have ceased making the most sought-after variant. The outlets of Kerala State Beverages (Manufacturing & Marketing) Corporation Ltd or BEVCO have run short of products sold in 180 ml bottles.
Manufacturers have stopped bottling their popular brands with the high-selling quarter bottles. With the rising prices of spirit or base alcohol it is no longer financially viable to persist with the bottling and supply of quarter bottle products.
BEVCO outlets often sold up to 50 cases of 180 ml liquor everyday. (A case contains 48, 180 ml bottles.)
The price of rectified spirit/ethyl alcohol has gone up from Rs 55 to Rs 75. The spike has hit the production of Jawan rum made by the state-government entity Travancore Sugars And Chemicals near Thiruvalla.
Adding to the shortage of the popular quarter, there is little stock of sought-after Honey Bee premium brandy as well as rum brands OPR and Celebration.
The masses find it affordable to buy spirits of quarter size. Most of the fast-moving liquor brands are priced in the Rs 150 to Rs 180 range in Kerala.
Liquor manufacturers have demanded BEVCO to raise the prices so that they get a higher margin. In their latest demand they have reportedly sought a hike of at least 20% over the current prices.
The government is yet to take a call on the demand of liquor manufacturers.
