Dip in IMFL liquor prices in UP

The Uttar Pradesh excise department has reduced the rates of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in the state by 20 to 25%, effective from April 1. This was done to increase sales and stop liquor smuggling from Delhi and Haryana where prices are lower than those in UP

The Uttar Pradesh excise department has reduced the rates of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in the state by 20 to 25%, effective from April 1. This was done to increase sales and stop liquor smuggling from Delhi and Haryana where prices are lower than those in UP.

According to Ghaziabad district excise officials, prices of country-made liquor will see a rise of Re1 while those of various brands of beer will rise by Rs5-Rs10 per bottle from April 1. (Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times)

According to Ghaziabad district excise officials, prices of country-made liquor will see a rise of Re1 while those of various brands of beer will rise by Rs5-Rs10 per bottle from April 1.

“The old stock will be sold at new rates that have already been displayed at liquor shops. Revised lists are coming in and more lists will arrive soon for other IMFL brands. The reduced price will help us bring down instances of smuggling from states like Haryana where average liquor price is lesser by nearly 265%. Our reduced prices will shorten the gap and stand at around 190-200%,” said Karunendra Singh, district excise officer at Ghaziabad.

According to the new rates, the prices of 750ml of deluxe scotch will be between Rs1,500 and Rs1,570, down from Rs1,700. The rate of Delux Scotch in Haryana is nearly Rs1,100.

The price of a superior whisky brand will come down to Rs410 from Rs555. The same brand costs Rs250 in Haryana. A brand of reserve whisky will now be priced at Rs595 against a previous price of Rs760.

“The new pricing will make our liquor prices closer to those available in Delhi. People often cross the border and purchase liquor from Delhi to avoid higher prices in UP. We expect that the reduced prices will encourage our buyers to purchase IMFL from UP. This will also impact liquor smuggling, which has been frequent this year,” Singh said.

During the last financial year (2015-16), Ghaziabad officials seized nearly 2,11,967 litres of different brands of liquor as against nearly 1,30,594 litres during the previous financial year (2014-15).