Karnataka Liquor Sales Surge During New Year, Excise Revenue Jumps Nearly 40%

Liquor sales surged across Karnataka during the New Year celebrations, delivering a substantial revenue windfall for the State Excise Department. In the final three days of December 2025, sales of Indian Made Liquor (IML) and beer touched ₹745.84 crore, generating ₹587.51 crore in excise revenue. According to official data, this marks a 39.63 per cent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2024.

Liquor and Beer Sales See Sharp Rise

During the three-day period from December 29 to 31, 2025, the state recorded sales of 9.84 lakh boxes of Indian liquor and 6.64 lakh boxes of beer. In comparison, during the same period in 2024, sales stood at 8.25 lakh boxes of Indian liquor and 5.03 lakh boxes of beer, indicating a significant year-on-year rise in consumption.

New Year's Eve Revenue Lower Than Last Year

On New Year's Eve, December 31, sales peaked with 3.53 lakh boxes of Indian liquor and 2.25 lakh boxes of beer sold across the state. However, despite higher volumes, excise revenue collected on the day stood at ₹204 crore in 2025, lower than the ₹266.73 crore earned on December 31, 2024.

December Excise Revenue Registers Growth

The Excise Department also reported a notable increase in overall December revenue. In December 2025, excise collections rose to ₹3,559.08 crore, compared to ₹3,104.50 crore in December 2024.

In December 2024, Indian liquor sales stood at 61.82 lakh boxes, while beer sales totalled 37.62 lakh boxes. In December 2025, Indian liquor sales increased to 63.71 lakh boxes, whereas beer sales dipped slightly to 36.14 lakh boxes.

According to department data, beer sales declined by 1.48 per cent in December 2025 compared to the previous year, even as overall excise revenue continued its upward trend.

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