With temperatures soaring and humidity high, beer sales in Visakhapatnam district have risen sharply this summer and recorded a significant increase over the same period last year.

Statistics from the Excise and Prohibition Department show that around 6,43,158 cases of beer were sold in the district between March 1 and May 25 this year, against 4,51,912 cases in the same period in 2025. This marks an increase of 42.32% in beer consumption.

Officials attribute the rise mainly to the harsh summer across the region. Authorities also said changes in the retail liquor system have played a part in boosting beer sales.

“While summer is one of the reasons for the increase in beer consumption, earlier, during the government-run shops, chilled beer was largely unavailable. After the introduction of private liquor outlets, shop owners have been maintaining chilled stocks to attract customers. This may have significantly increased the sales,” District Excise and Prohibition Officer R. Prasad said.

Sales of Indian Made Liquor (IML) have registered a slight decline during the same period. Data show that 5,32,110 cases of IML were sold between March 1 and May 25 this year against 5,40,553 cases in the corresponding period last year, a decline of 1.56%.

Officials believe that apart from the preference for beer in the summer, the non-availability of the affordable ₹99 liquor brand at several outlets could also be one of the reasons for the marginal drop in IML sales. With temperatures staying high across Visakhapatnam and nearby regions, officials expect beer consumption to remain strong in the coming weeks.

Visakhapatnam district has 159 wine shops, 75 bars, 16 star hotels, five APTDC bars, seven clubs, two micro-breweries, two premium stores and 19 defence canteens. On an average, liquor worth around ₹6 crore is sold a day in the district.