Liquor sales rise by 13% from last Diwali

New Delhi: Liquor sales in Delhi witnessed a 13

New Delhi: Liquor sales in Delhi witnessed a 13.53% increase in the two weeks preceding Diwali compared to the corresponding period last year, with total sales for the current fiscal reaching ₹589.18 crore, up from ₹518.97 crore in 2025-26, according to data shared by the excise department.

The volume of sales also registered an increase, with 3.31 million bottles sold this financial year (Photo for representation)

The volume of sales also registered an increase, with 3.31 million bottles sold this financial year, compared to 2.96 million bottles during the corresponding period last fiscal, marking a growth of 11.96%.

The surge was more pronounced on November 7, the day preceding Diwali, when liquor sales in the city rose by nearly 25% compared to the same period last year.

“Sales of liquor usually witness a rise during festivals like Holi and Diwali. Liquor bottles are also brought for gifting purposes as well as for personal consumption,” said a senior official.

Delhi recorded sales worth ₹79.25 crore on the day before Diwali this year, against ₹63.40 crore in 2025, registering a 24.99% increase. The number of bottles sold also increased by 16.58%, from 3.47 million in 2025 to 4.05 million in 2026.

To be sure, Diwali was a dry day. This year, Holi was not on the list of dry days.

Vinod Giri, director general of the Brewers’ Association of India, said, “I would not read much into this increase. It is an organic growth that happens every year. I feel the growth would have been much more had the government announced its new excise policy. The government has not even increased the number of liquor stores for us to feel that it could have been a driving factor.”

The increase in collections comes at a time when the government is looking to strengthen its revenue base while work on a new excise policy is underway. Currently, only government-run liquor outlets operate in Delhi.

Delhi currently has over 700 liquor vends operated by four government agencies — the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation and Delhi Consumers’ Cooperative Wholesale Store.