Delhi faces liquor shortage due to increased demand | Reasons explained

The private liquor retail vends have been making attractive offers to the consumers which has led to an increase in demand for all kinds of alcoholic beverages in the national capital, officials said.

Since the implementation of the new Excise Policy 2021-22 by the Delhi government last November, private retail vends have been making attractive offers to the consumers which has led to an increase in demand for all kinds of alcoholic beverages, officials said.

The key reason for the shortage is that the manufacturers have been asked to first fulfil the local demand in the neighbouring states like Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab where they are located, before supplying it to Delhi and other places.

Usually, the annual sale of beer in Delhi is around 315-320 million cases, out of which about 40 per cent gets sold during the summer months.

"The demand for beer rises during summer in northern parts of the country. In such a situation, supply to Delhi, which has no manufacturing facility, is affected since manufacturers in major supplier states have to meet the local demand too," said Vinod Giri, director-general of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies.

Giri further explained that states, where distilleries are located, tell manufacturers to first cater to domestic demand before exporting beer to other states. “Delhi doesn’t have any distilleries and it gets its supplies from Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu. Due to restricted supply, the availability is less," he said.

Shortage of beer in Delhi is a normal feature during the summers but this year it is more due to less supply from states like Uttar Pradesh, a senior excise department officer told PTI.

Many beer lovers complained that they were finding it difficult to have their usual brands at the liquor vends in the city.