Alcohol sales in West Medinipur hit ₹36 crore between Christmas and New Year

The festive season and cold weather have driven alcohol sales in West Medinipur district to record levels. Between Christmas (December 25) and New Year’s Day (January 1), approximately ₹36 crore worth of liquor was sold.

During this period, consumption of domestic and imported liquor, as well as beer, reached unprecedented levels. District officials recorded 2,56,155 liters of domestic liquor and 2,41,420 liters of imported liquor sold in just eight days. Beer sales also remained strong, with 42,000 liters generating ₹1.16 crore in revenue.

The cold wave contributed to the surge in demand. Minimum temperatures dropped to 8.45°C on December 31 and 9.4°C on January 1, encouraging higher liquor consumption despite the chilly weather.

New Year’s Day alone saw ₹4.72 crore worth of imported liquor sold, while domestic liquor sales recorded 31,000 liters on January 1 and 33,000 liters on December 25. Officials noted that demand for domestic liquor naturally rises in winter and festival seasons.

District Excise Superintendent Surjeet Sarkar said that strict action against illegal liquor and continuous monitoring have boosted legal sales. He added that alcohol sales typically peak from October (Durga Puja) to March (Holi), and this winter surge demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing enforcement measures.