Thiruvananthapuram, May 14 (IANS): Sales of liquor and beer in Kerala during FY 2023-24 have touched Rs 19,088.68 crore, up from Rs 18,510.98 crore in FY 2022-23.

The state-run Kerala State Beverages Corporation is the sole wholesaler of liquor and beer in Kerala.

The state exchequer received, by way of taxes and levies from liquor, a staggering Rs 16,609.63 crore, up from Rs 16,189.55 crore in 2022-23.

While 80 per cent of the liquor sold in the state arrives from other states, only 20 per cent is manufactured in Kerala.

Liquor is sold through 277 retail outlets owned by the Corporation, while the state-backed cooperative organisation Consumerfed also has 39 retail outlets.

The profile of liquor users in Kerala reveals that 32.9 lakh people out of the 3.34 crore in the state consume liquor, which includes 29.8 lakh men and 3.1 lakh women.

Around five lakh people consume liquor daily. Out of this, 83,851 people (including 1,043 women) are addicted to alcohol.